The Lost Ones
by Matkin22
Summary: The sequel to Final Challenge. Alex, the daughter of Ash and May, starts her own Pokémon journey. But old enemies lurk at every turn, wanting to use her as a pawn in their revenge...
1. Prologue

**To my new readers, welcome. To my old readers who never thought this would see the light of day, welcome back! Since I began _Final Challenge _back in 2007, I've had this idea in my mind for an eventual sequel. The plot, characters, and even the title have been stuck in my mind since the very beginning. I figure it's about time I actually got the story out there.**

**Since this is the sequel, if you haven't read _Final Challenge_ (which, to be honest, most of you probably haven't since it was written and posted so long ago) you will be spoiled for this fanfiction; so if you'd like to start at the beginning and not get spoiled, that is your starting point!**

**Right, so with all that out of the way, it's time to get started. Last chance to avoid spoilers for the first one. Everybody all caught up? Okay, here we go - enjoy!**

* * *

_6 years ago..._

"Today, I am proud to acknowledge at last the passing of my crown as Champion," Cynthia said from the pedestal. Her gaze swept across the sea of reporters before her before resting momentarily in the front row; there sat Brock, Holly, May, Rey, Dawn, Forrest, Tucker, Greta, Lucy, Brandon, Noland, Anabel, and Scott. Sitting on May's lap was a raven-haired girl of about four. Her dark eyes stared solemnly as she watched the proceedings happening on the stage before her, and though she did not seem to understand what was going on she knew that it was an occasion where she should remain silent. Cynthia had to hide a sad smile at the sight of her before returning to her address.

"There is no doubt in my mind," she continued, "that had our match continued without interruption I would have been defeated. Had our match been rescheduled and undertaken prior to the tragic events that occurred, I believe I still would have lost." One reporter several rows stood up, microphone, pen, and pad in hand.

"You talk as if it was a certainty that you would have been beaten," he called, "but the match was far from over. How can you be so sure that you would have lost? This conference is unprecedented. League rules state that a Champion may be crowned only when the prior has been defeated in battle. This did not happen." Cynthia looked sideways at Mr. Goodshow, whose small frame was sat upon a chair several metres away on the other end of the stage. He nodded, and she turned to answer the question.

"Champions are crowned not only because of their battle skills," she responded. "There are many qualities that are involved. These include complete empathy and understanding with one's Pokémon, the ability to think outside of battle situations, and to forever work towards and help establish a safer world between humans and Pokémon. These qualities must all be met before a Champion can be declared; the battle is merely formality as it demonstrates they have the skill to command Pokémon in battle.

"I saw his death," she said quietly, her eyes resting on the front row again. "I will not go into details, but he gave his own life so that others would live, and had he not done so a great many more would have died instead. It is because of this that Mr. Goodshow and I have agreed to confer upon Ash Ketchum the title of Posthumous Pokémon Champion and recognize him as an Honorary Pokémon Master."

"How will a new Champion be crowned from this point on?" another reporter asked bluntly.

"While Mr. Ketchum is recognized as my successor, for a new Champion to be crowned they must still defeat me in battle," Cynthia answered. "The procedure is no different than it would be had he been crowned Champion before his death."

"What about the position of Colosseum Head?" a woman shouted, jumping in front of several other reporters.

"The Battle Frontier is a separate entity from the Pokémon League," Cynthia responded, her dark, liquid eyes ignoring the questioner entirely as she gazed once more at the little girl in the front. "I am not a part of that organization, so you would have to ask that question of Scott; I cannot provide an answer to you."

"Cynthia! Cynthia!" Several more hands shot into the air, but she waved them away.

"There will be no more questions," she said calmly. "What has been mentioned today is self-explanatory and requires no more depth to be added. Good day to you all." She swept off and vanished behind the stage, leaving the large crowd of surprised reporters behind. Mr. Goodshow seemed as astonished as everyone else at the abrupt departure, but he quickly recovered and moved to the microphone.

"Well, that would be it for today's conference," he said. "As you know, the next League begins in three weeks so I suppose I shall see you all at that time. Until then, I hope you all have safe journeys home." Grumbling, the reporters stood en masse and began moving towards the exits. Despite the massive size of the crowd the area was devoid of humans in a surprisingly short time.

Devoid save for those in the front row, that is. They remained sitting in their seats, unnoticed by the crowd, waiting for the reporters to leave before facing one another.

"I guess it's a good thing that I went on that Detox diet," Scott said, chuckling nervously to break the ice. "I get the feeling that those reporters would have disrupted the conference if they'd noticed me. After what Cynthia said, anyways."

"It was a valid question. Who are you going to get to fill in Ash's position?" Greta asked. Scott rubbed the back of his head ponderously.

"Dunno," he said at length. "I guess I could always bring Spencer out of retirement, or audition another candidate. Course, the position is May's if she wants it." The former Coordinator shuddered slightly and clutched her daughter to her more tightly.

"After that Ursaring attack, the only thing I want is to wake up from this hellish nightmare of a life," she said softly. The others looked at one another uneasily, and then Rey placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Come on, May," she whispered, "I'll help you home." Barely seeming to hear her, May rose to her feet. Her daughter slid to the ground, but May kept tight hold of her hand and began to stumble slowly towards the exit, leaning on Rey for support.

"Do you think she'll be all right?" Holly asked, looking to her husband.

"If she was on her own, no," Brock replied, his gaze fixed on the sad figure of the woman who had been so happy and energetic just four short years ago. It was hard to believe that she was only 22. "She was fine until the attack; but she has all of us to support her, and help her through this. And Alex of course; what a tough little girl! May might grieve inside but Alex won't let her stay like this for long. She'll recover; sooner rather than later. All we have to do is make sure that we stay close by in case she needs us."

Anabel started forward from the group, following Rey, May, and Alex. "We need to be strong together," she whispered softly to herself. "After what you've been through, May, I'll do everything I can to help you recover. We all will." She hurried to catch the trio and took Alex's other hand, beginning a conversation with the young girl to try and distract May from her reverie. Slowly, the four of them made their way back to Pallet Town.


	2. The Journey Begins

Her hands moved slowly, automatically, barely noticing the soapy water on her arms, or the dish in her hand. Lowering it slowly into the steaming water, she wiped off her hands and looked through the window into the backyard. Catching sight of her pale reflection, she touched a hand to her face and sighed ruefully.

May had aged beyond her 28 years. Though the raw beauty in her face had not diminished, she looked haggard and careworn. Drew's betrayal, compounded by losing Ash in such an unfair way... tears welled up in her eyes as the painful memories were revisited, their last moments together...

_Turning to May, Ash grabbed her and held her tightly, the tears coursing down his cheeks and onto her face. She stood there, bewildered, not entirely sure what was going on._

"_Ash, what's wrong?" she asked, patting him awkwardly on the back._

"_Goodbye, May," he whispered, and she could see him fighting back the tears. "I'll never forget you; never."_

"_Ash, what-?" she began, but she could only watch as he turned to Pikachu and asked him to look after her. "Ash, you're scaring me! Stop this!" she begged. Her pleas were silenced when he turned back to face her and gave what both had desired for so long; his gaze full of the purest emotion that could exist, he kissed her softly on the lips. _

"_I love you," he whispered, breaking away. "I love you so much." He looked deeply into her eyes for one last time before wrenching his gaze away. Still confused, she watched as he turned and walked towards the last vestige of the orb that held the mysterious and unknown entity Cyas. She looked up as a screech reverberated across the sky, and at the sight of Ho-Oh plunging downwards it suddenly struck May what Ash intended to do. She stood there dumbly, her mind racing as the last phrase in the prophecy that had obsessed Giovanni so much rang through her mind._

Self-sacrifice stills these arms.

_She leapt forwards with a scream of "Ash, NO!"; but it was too late. As Ash and Ho-Oh entered the orb together, it sealed behind them. She hit it at full speed and was thrown back painfully, stars dancing in her eyes. Managing to climb back to her feet, she could only watch helplessly as the orb shrunk; she thought she saw Gallade teleport to the far side and begin striking at it desperately, but before she was able to see for sure, there was a brilliant flash of golden light and a massive shockwave blasted from the center of the orb. May was hurled back from the force for a second painful time, her world tumbling end over end before she hit the ground hard. It seemed to her scrambled mind that the universe was coming to an end. The earth shook, trees were uprooted, and her vision failed entirely. The air crackled with energy and strong winds blasted from every direction. There was a scream, a roar, and then, worst of all, there was nothing. _

_Crawling painfully to her feet, May looked blindly in the direction of the orb. Even before her gaze landed on the blackened earth she knew that it was a futile search. The orb was gone. Cyas was gone. Ash and Ho-Oh were gone. They were all gone. There was no double meaning behind the phrase, no possible way any of them could have survived. Ash was dead, and for the first time in her life she truly understood what grief was._

_The scorched and blackened ruins of the GS Ball rolled across the ground and came to a halt at her feet; staring at the ancient relic, she kneeled down and picked it up, a cold hard pit of anger in her chest. She didn't notice as the legendary Pokémon fled in every direction, desperate to escape the fighting and the humans, the abomination that was the Perporus having being wiped from their systems. She didn't notice as the fierce battle between Giovanni and Cynthia raged on. She didn't notice the hot tears that poured from her eyes, or the approach of her concerned family and friends. All she noticed was the small, cold, hard Poke Ball that had claimed the life of the person she had loved more than anyone else._

"_No!" she screamed, leaping upright and staggering towards the scorched earth that marked where it had all ended. Her vision blurred from the tears, she scrabbled desperately at the black earth, screaming with such agony and loss that it was unbearable._

"_No! No! Ash! ASH!" she screamed, throwing herself at the Earth. She didn't feel the soft touches of Brock and Dawn on her shoulders as they gently dragged her away, at the tight embrace Max gave her, rocking her back and forth as he whispered condolences and reassurances despite the bright tears in his own eyes. She screamed her loss to the sky with such force that her throat bled, with such intensity that eventually she could sustain it no more and collapsed into a terrible and restless sleep, certain that her own life was over._

But it hadn't ended that day. For before he had left, Ash had given her one last gift, a gift that spoke of his fathomless love for her, though he hadn't even known he had given it to her. It was the sole thing that gave her a reason to keep on living.

Only nine months after his death, May became a mother.

But even that event was shrouded in sadness. Delia Ketchum died holding her granddaughter for the first time; learning the truth about her husband's death and the loss of her son had proven too much for the usually cheery woman. She had broken down and lost the will to live. She had held on just long enough... and then that was it. She had gone.

Latias had been just as broken; though all of Ash's Pokémon took his death hard, she felt it more than any, with the exceptions of Pikachu and the loyal Gallade. Barely able to function and with no other place to go, she had stayed with May until a month after the birth before leaving silently one night. May did not know where she had gone, but she hoped that wherever the legendary Pokémon was she had been able to come to terms with Ash's death.

And then of course there was the death of Professor Oak, and the Ursaring attack only a year later. She closed her eyes and shuddered, feeling a fresh pain in her heart. That Ursaring had taken something from her that could never be replaced. It was something she avoided talking about and tried to forget, though she thought about it almost every day. At least Alex had been saved, thanks to the quick intervention of Gallade. Whether her daughter remembered it or not May wasn't sure, though she was inclined to think not. It was seven years ago now after all, and any memories that she did have would have been suppressed a long time ago.

There had been some good mixed in with the bad, of course. The marriages between Brock and Holly, and then Dawn and Forrest only the next day had rejuvenated all of their spirits, something which was desperately needed in all of their lives. Max won his first League before undertaking and losing the Elite Four challenge and eventually taking over as the Petalburg Gym Leader, and Rey had finished second in the Indigo League before moving on to new horizons.

But it all felt curiously empty to May; without Ash, the world seemed so much colder and darker. Brock had tried to speak with her a few times about it, but she had always avoided the conversation; she knew what he'd say, that Ash had given his life so that she could enjoy hers in the knowledge that the world was safe. It was so cliché. The simple truth was that she couldn't enjoy it, not knowing what it had cost to attain it. If it hadn't been for Alex...

Sighing again, she moved past her reflection and gazed at the scene outside. In the backyard she could see Glaceon and Pikachu curled up together, and both Bulbasaur sleeping nearby. In a distant corner Munchlax was poking its nose inside into the hedge, obviously searching out something to eat, and she caught a brief flash of brown as Noctowl flew past the window. The other Pokémon were nowhere to be seen.

Looking back to the sink, she returned to the dishes and vainly tried to scrub off a persistent stain before giving it up as a bad job. Leaving the dish to soak, she dried her hands and sat on the couch to wait. A loud crash echoed from upstairs, and despite herself she smiled at the noise. Standing at the sound of footsteps thundering down the stairs, she turned just in time to see the figure of her tall, slightly clumsy daughter dashing towards the front door.

"Bye, Mom!" Alex shouted, wrenching the door open. "I've gotta go, I don't want to be late!"

"Don't you at least want some breakfast first?" May called after her daughter's receding figure. There was no reply save for the settling dust, and May sighed as she returned to the kitchen. "That girl is as impulsive as her father," she murmured as Pikachu walked in through the still open door and sprang on to her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek.

"Well good morning," she greeted him warmly. "Are you ready to see her off too?"

"Pi!" Pikachu agreed, and May smiled as she wrapped some buttered toast in a napkin before heading to the open door.

"Come on then," she said, "we may as well go now. I doubt she'll want to stay at Gary's lab for too long before leaving. Glaceon!" she called, and the ice type bounded around the side of the house before coming to a rest at May's side, nuzzling the proffered hand warmly. Closing and locking the door securely, May turned and began walking up the path with both Pokémon in step at her side.

"I know I should be happy for her," she ventured after a moment. "It's the start of a brand new adventure for her, and everybody needs to see the world at least a little. But... I can't help but worry. Maybe I'm just being over-protective, but I'm scared of letting her go out there alone. What if something happens? I'd be much happier if she had a travelling companion."

"Pika, pikachu pi," Pikachu offered, and May nodded.

"I know I have to let her go, but that doesn't stop me from worrying," she responded. "I can't stop thinking about what happened to Ash... what if the same thing happens to Alex?"

"Grai," Glaceon began, but she was cut short by Pikachu's warning shout of "Pika pi!"

"What is it Pikachu?" May asked curiously, turning in the direction the electric-type began pointing.

The toast fell to the ground from her limp grip, and she was forced to press a steadying hand against her racing heart to prevent herself from falling over in her shock. She could barely breathe at the sight. It was impossible... It couldn't be...

A Ho-Oh moved slowly overhead, its glittering golden body eschewing a rainbow stream as it passed by. It let loose a piercing cry as it flew above her, a cry that brought tears to May's eyes, and it seemed to her that the legendary Phoenix Pokémon was watching her intently as she slid by underneath.

It moved on, flying in the direction of Gary Oak's lab, and in that one instant all the doubt and fear that she had over her daughter's journey was lost. No harm would come to Alex, of that she was absolutely certain. Ho-Oh was watching over her.

* * *

Professor Gary Oak jumped as the doors flew open and Alex skidded inside, panting for breath. "Easy there," he called as he moved over towards her. "You don't want to be move that quickly when you're on your journey, you'll miss everything!"

"S-sorry," she gasped, trying to stop herself from doubling over. "I just couldn't wait."

"Where's your mother?" Gary asked.

"I came on ahead," Alex answered. "I didn't want to be late and miss out on getting a Pokémon!"

"You mean you don't want a Pikachu?" Gary grinned, motioning for her to follow him further into the lab.

"Maybe if I catch one, but not to start off with," Alex said. "I already know exactly what Pokémon I want!"

"Well you'd better know, it's no good making your mind up on the spot," a gruff voice called; twisting her head in its direction, Alex let out a shriek of delight and threw herself on top of Silver.

"Uncle Silver, you came!" she said happily.

"Of course I did," Silver laughed. "I wouldn't miss the start of your journey!" He leaned in towards her conspiratively. "So what's it gonna be?" he whispered. "Are you doing Gyms or Contests?"

"Neither," Alex grinned back. "I'm doing something different!" Silver roared with laughter.

"A secret agenda, eh? Just like your Uncle Silver then!" Alex looked at all the scars on his body and shivered.

"Maybe I will do Gyms after all," she said, causing him to laugh all the louder.

"Silver, it's good to see you," May's voice called and, letting go of his great-niece, Silver walked over to embrace her.

"May, I'm glad to see you," he smiled. "I was speaking to Cynthia the other day; she wants to meet with you soon."

"Cynthia? As in the Champion Cynthia?" Alex blurted out, her eyes wide.

"That's her," Silver affirmed. "She and your Mom go way back."

"How come I've never met her?" Alex asked accusingly.

"You have, several times," May replied. "You just don't remember because you were so little. She's a Champion remember; free time is very rare for her, and she doesn't have the time to stop in tiny towns very often." She turned back to Silver, dropping her voice so that only he could hear before whispering "What's it about?"

"Later," he whispered back.

"So Alex, are you ready to pick your first Pokémon?" Gary asked, leading her into a small room with three Poke Balls in it.

"You bet I am!" she exclaimed as May and Silver walked in behind them.

"Pi, pika pi?" Pikachu asked, and Alex laughed.

"No, it's not a Pikachu, sorry," she said.

"Pi," Pikachu said, looking slightly disappointed.

"Well then, what is it?" May asked.

"You already know, Mom!" Alex said, looking surprised. May shook her head.

"You ran out of the house so fast you didn't have time to tell me," she countered.

"Oh, right," Alex conceded.

"You forgot your bag as well," May said, lifting it by the strap.

"Oops," Alex murmured.

"And you wonder why she worries," Gary sighed. "Oh well. Make your choice, Rey. Do you want the grass-type Bulbasaur, the fire-type Charmander, or the water-type Squirtle?"

"I choose Squirtle!" Rey proclaimed, reaching out to take the Poke Ball Gary held out to her.

"A Squirtle, eh?" Silver asked, trading glances with May and Gary. "Just like your father. Squirtle was his first choice too."

"Too bad he didn't get it," Gary laughed, looking through a window to see his Blastoise lounging in a nearby field.

"Come on out Squirtle!" Alex yelled, clicking the button in the center of the Poke Ball and unleashing a brilliant red light which twisted and formed into the solid shape of a Squirtle. "Hey there," she greeted, leaning down with a smile. "You're my first Pokémon!"

"Squir," Squirtle snorted, blasting her with a jet of water. Alex stood there, dripping and surprised, staring at the water-type dumbfounded.

"Hey, what was that for?" she yelled, beginning to chase the Pokémon around the room.

"I think those two are going to get along perfectly," Silver chuckled.

* * *

"Alex, are you sure you want to wear a skirt?" May asked for the umpteenth time, and her daughter sighed.

"It's fashionable, Mom. I'll be fine!"

"Just wait until it's a windy day in the city," May muttered. "What about one of your Dad's old Pokémon? You may need them to protect you from any bad people."

"Squirtle will do that for me," Alex answered, feeling the Poke Ball at her waist with satisfaction. "Stop worrying, Mom. I'll be fine."

"I wouldn't be doing my job if I wasn't worrying about you," May retorted.

"Here Alex, take these," Gary said, pressing six Poke Balls and a PokeDex into her hands. "These will help you on your journey. Use them as you see fit, but use them wisely."

"I will, thanks," she said gratefully. Turning to Silver she gave the gigantic man a hug goodbye before moving on to her mother.

"Take care, Alex," May whispered, hugging her daughter quickly before she could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"I will Mom," she said, extricating herself from May's grip gently. "You take care too, okay?" Unable to speak from the lump in her throat, May nodded and stood back. Alex took a last look around at the three adults and two Pokémon who had come to see her off and smiled.

"I'll see you soon!" she shouted, turning and beginning to run out of the lab grounds and into the great world beyond. "Goodbye!"

"Goodbye," May whispered, turning to run in the opposite direction, back to the outskirts of the town to her house. The tears streamed from her face in the knowledge that now Alex was truly gone, and she was alone once more.

"May!" Silver shouted, running after her, and she allowed her pace to slacken so that he came to her side.

"What is it Silver?" she asked, barely audibly.

"Come on," he said comfortingly. "You shouldn't be upset; you should be happy! Alex is finally going to explore the world. This is the start of a brand new life for her, and I can't remember when I last saw her this happy."

"I just wish she'd taken one of Ash's Pokémon with her; she might need the help. Ohh, if only Pidgeot was here!"

"Pijo?" a curious cry came from an overhead tree, and May looked up to see Pidgeot roosting there.

"Pidgeot!" May exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Pidgeot was there the whole time," Silver answered as the flying-type fluttered to the ground to stand before them. "It was in the trees to wish Alex a silent goodbye, and it followed you when you ran off. That bird is wilier than you think, May."

"Pidgeot... will you please keep an eye on Alex for me?" May asked. "I know it's not right sending anyone to watch over her, but I won't feel right unless I know she's safe."

"Pijot," Pidgeot nodded, fluttering its feathers and May felt her anxiety ease somewhat.

"Thank you," she whispered as the bird took flight. "Thank you, Pidgeot."

"Come on, let's get you home and we'll have some tea," Silver suggested, guiding her back into motion. "It'll be okay; just you wait and see."

"Yes... I'm sure it will," May murmured, allowing him to lead her home. But later that night, as she stared out the window while scrubbing that same persistent stain from the dish, she couldn't help but feel lonelier than she ever had before.

* * *

As Alex walked up the grassy hill, she couldn't help but feel freer than she had in a long time. Her Pokémon journey had just begun, and so had her life. She wanted a great many things out of it; gym badges and championships for one thing, as well as lots of new Pokémon friends. But she hadn't been lying to Silver earlier when she'd told him that neither Gyms nor Contests were her priority. He hadn't believed her of course, but what she wanted most in the world was the one thing she had never had.

May had never explained much about Ash Ketchum's death, but she knew from fortuitous eavesdropping the gist of the story. If there was a relic that could contain a terrible evil and threaten the existence of the world, why was it so hard to believe that there was another relic out there that could undo that evil and restore the world to the way it should have been? She'd heard rumours about several Pokémon too, that they had legendary power that could change the course of the world. If that was true, then she would find out and convince them to help her.

Her quest was not for Gym badges or Contest ribbons. She wanted only one thing out of this journey.

Her father.


	3. Alex Catches a Pokémon

**Here we are with chapter two. I'm glad that so many of you enjoyed the first upload, and how many remembered Final Challenge. Less of you will be spoiled than I first thought, :-P. From this point on I plan to update weekly, with new uploads coming every Friday. Lets see if I can actually stick to a schedule for once! I also have a new poll up in my profile, and I'm quite interested in seeing what those results will be! But I don't want to keep you from the story for too long; enjoy!**

* * *

Pidgeot spread it's wings and rode the thermals, lazily enjoying the sun. Several miles away, Alex was visible striding along, her arms swinging jauntily and her mouth moving as she sang in her happiness. The flying type was fervently glad that it's keen eyesight allowed it to keep watch on Alex without having to overhear her out of tune warble. Of course, it also allowed Alex to enjoy her journey while remaining oblivious to the bird's tracking; even if she looked directly at Pidgeot she would not be able to spot it from such a distance. The Pokémon's eyesight was far superior to her own, and so she could traverse the length of Kanto without knowing how close the flying-type really was. Pidgeot closed it's eyes and enjoyed the sun; the journey ahead promised to be fairly boring and uneventful for it, but for now the sun was shining and it had the chance to revisit territory that it had not seen in years. At this moment, it could not be happier.

* * *

Alex stopped walking and stood still on the path. A giddy feeling began to rise up in her chest; it was a beautifully sunny day, the future was bright, and she was finally on her Pokémon journey! Opened her mouth she laughed aloud, startling a pair of Nidoran as she revelled in her newfound freedom; she could anywhere she liked, do anything she please, eat what she wanted! Out here, in the world, she was free to do as she felt fit.

Yes, she was free...free from the confines of Pallet Town, free from her daily retinue of chores, free from her mother's over-protectiveness. The world was large, and it was full of open possibilities. She could go to Viridian City first, or cut south and catch the ferry to Johto, or...

A grin on her face she began to run. She ran to feel the wind streaming through her hair, to feel the sweet country air as it poured into her lungs. She ran to signify her freedom, and her release into the world. She ran until her breath came short, until her muscles quivered with exhaustion, and so she pulled off the path to rest under the shade of a large tree. Dumping her bag to the side, she lay contentedly at its base with her eyes closed, allowing it to all soak in.

She woke up a few minutes later, feeling decidedly refreshed from her short catnap. Climbing to her feet, she turned to see how far from Pallet she had come, and was left feeling slightly disappointed that she could still see it in the distance. "I mustn't be in as good shape as I thought... I didn't run very far before I ran out of breath," she murmured, looking down at her long, lithe figure in some dismay. "Oh well... I'm sure that I'll be fit as a Tauros before long." She brushed a few stray stalks of grass from her skirt; noticing something brown poking from the tip of the long grass at her feet, she leaned down with a look of curiosity to investigate.

"What is that?" she wondered aloud, looking at it quizzically. Grasping the end she tried to pull it out of the grass, but it stayed in the same place stubbornly. "Alright, you're asking for it," she growled. This time holding it with both hands she pulled backwards with all of her strength. A silent war ensued for several seconds as her face steadily turned red with exertion before, at last, it gave way; surprised at how quickly it came out, Alex stumbled backwards and tripped over a root, sending her hard to the ground on her back.

"Ohh, I hope nobody saw that," she moaned, quickly crossing her legs and pushing her skirt back into place. Sitting up, she held the object up to her face and was surprised to see that it was some sort of leash. Brushing several thick clumps of dirt off she looked at it in fascination. _How long was it there for the earth to swallow it like that?_ she wondered. _And why would anybody leave a leash in the middle of the countryside anyways?_ Puzzled, she leaned her head back and looked skywards as she contemplated the impossible mystery.

Another curious feature caught her eyes, this one easily observable. One of the tree's branches she was under was curiously blackened in a very specific spot. Scrambling to her feet, she leaned as high as she could to get a better look at it. It was a roughly six-inch patch of charring that extended down both sides of the branch, though it didn't quite meet at the bottom. Looking around the area with a newfound curiosity, she watched as a Mankey hopped between several trees at the far end of the field, and as a Spearow whizzed overhead. "Bizarre," she murmured.

A blank expression crossed her face as her stomach rumbled ferociously, and she put both hands to it with a large blush spreading across her face. "Now I'm doubly glad that there's no one else around," she sighed. "First the skirt and now my stomach... honestly, what's going to happen next?" Moving back to her bag she rummaged through to find some food when a thought struck her.

"I can't be the only one who's hungry," she mused. "I bet Squirtle will want some food too!" Reaching down to her waist, she gripped for Squirtle's Poke Ball and was surprised to feel that it wasn't there. Looking down with a momentary surge of panic, she realized that she'd placed it on the opposite side of her belt. She sighed again. "I really should remember to put my Poke Balls back in the right place," she belittled herself. "What if I forget? I don't want to call out the wrong Pokémon by mistake... or forget to even bring them with me!" This time holding her Poke Ball, she called out Squirtle, and it landed on the ground proudly.

"Hey Squirtle, its lunchtime," Alex said. "Do you want some food?"

"Squir?" the Squirtle asked, looking over at her. It eyed the food in her bag appraisingly and shook its head defiantly with a call of "Squirtle squir!"

"No?" Alex asked, surprised. "Well then, is there anything you want instead?"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle grinned, spinning around and pointing a finger decisively into the field. Following its direction, Alex looked and saw a Pidgey innocently pecking at grass seeds that lay on the ground, completely oblivious to their presence.

"You want to eat the Pidgey?" she asked in confusion, sending Squirtle falling to the ground.

"Squirtle!" it shouted, climbing to its feet and blasting her with a torrent of water.

"Hey, stop!" she protested, spluttering as the water doused her. "This is a new shirt, and it's white! Do you want everybody to end up seeing through it? If you wanted to battle it all you had to do was say so!"

"Squirtle!" her Pokémon said, breaking off the deluge and turning to face the Pidgey with a look of determination.

_My father had a Pidgeot_, Alex remembered suddenly. _I wonder if I'll end up having one too..._ "Squirtle, use Water Gun!" she ordered.

"Squir!" Squirtle said, shooting a thin jet of water at the Pokémon.

"That's the best you can do?" Alex said, eying the weak attack with dismay. "The one you hit me with was way stronger; that's not even enough to water my Mom's garden!"

"Squirtle!" her Pokémon retorted, giving her an angry sidelong glare as the attack struck home. The Pidgey looked up at the sky in surprise, at first seeming to think that it was a rain shower. Then, noticing that it came from another Pokémon, it stepped out of the flow and turned to face the enemy.

"Ohh, I see," Alex realized. "You didn't want to attack it when it wasn't ready! That's actually pretty noble of you, Squirtle!"

"Squirtle," the Pokémon said proudly, puffing up its chest. The look of pride quickly turned into one of pain as it was rammed in the stomach by the Pidgey's Quick Attack. Doubling over, the water-type fell to the ground immobile, and Alex gasped in shock as the Pidgey flew off into the trees at the far side of the field.

"Squirtle, are you okay?" she asked, running over to its side in concern.

"Squirrr," her Pokémon moaned, it's eyes crossed.

"See, that's what you get for being noble; the other Pokémon launches a sneak attack!" she lectured her Pokémon. Squirtle's eyes snapped open and it angrily blasted her with a fresh jet of water.

"Why couldn't you have done that with the Pidgey?" she shouted, turning her head away as she vainly tried to divert the water away. Spluttering, she dodged out of the stream and tried to wring the water out of her shirt. "Great, now it's completely soaked through," she moaned. "I hope you're happy Squirtle, now I have to change without any privacy!" She sighed and wrung the bottom of her shirt, sending a cascade of water to the ground. "At least I've got another shirt in my bag, so I don't have to walk into town with everybody gawking at my chest." Continuing to grumble to herself, she took a few steps forward and froze.

"Hey... What is that in my bag?" she asked, having spotted a curled purple tail rising from underneath the clasps. Reaching for her PokeDex, she flipped it open and scanned the unknown Pokémon for the first time.

"_Rattata, the Mouse Pokémon_," the Dex whirred. "_Rattata are shy and live mainly in forests, though they will occasionally venture into fields to steal food from stupid trainers_."

"St-stupid?" Alex whispered. Her fists clenched, and her whole body trembled angrily. "I... am... not... _STUPID_!" she roared, scaring several Pidgey from a nearby tree. "Squirtle! Get that monster and don't you _dare _be noble!"

"Squirt!" Squirtle acquiesced, sensing that it was best to obey as it shot a strong blast of foam towards the unfortunate Pokémon. Poking its head out from under the bag with a cookie in its mouth, the Rattata beheld the incoming attack; terrified, it froze and dropped the cookie, entirely unable to move.

Alex wasn't able to see exactly what happened when the attack struck home; the powerful deluge prevented that. She thought she saw the bag go flying backwards into the tree, but she couldn't see the Rattata at all. It was only when the attack stopped that she saw it lying on its back, its legs twitching in the air.

"Go, Poke Ball!" she shouted, instinctively throwing an empty Ball towards the Rattata; her aim was off and it hit the ground short, but luckily the momentum kept it rolling long enough to come into contact with the Pokémon. Enveloped in a red light, the Rattata was sucked into the Poke Ball without any resistance at all. It rolled once, twice, and then stopped.

"Wow," Alex said after a moment, "I wasn't expecting that to happen." A grin spread across her face as she realized that, on her very first day as a Pokémon trainer, only an hour or so into her journey, she had captured her first Pokémon. "Amazing... even Dad didn't do it that quickly!" she breathed, walking forwards to pick up the Ball containing her new travelling companion. "So, PokeDex, who's the stupid one now?" she asked, waving it in the air tauntingly. The grin quickly faded when she beheld her sopping wet bag, its contents spread across several feet, and her change of clothing completely soaked.

"Oh," she said after a moment, realizing that she had essentially ordered her Squirtle to attack her bag. "Maybe I am after all..."


	4. Yui

Alex strode between the trees, humming happily as she tossed her two Poke Balls in her hands. A scream broke through the forest, stunning her into silence. She froze a moment as the sound of it pierced through her, and then instinctively she began running; not away from the sound, but towards it. Dodging branches and ferns, she burst through the trees and came skidding to a halt, staring dumbstruck at the oversized man who stood in front of her. His belly rumbled with laughter as he held a young girl with blond hair, about Alex's age, in the air effortlessly by her neck.

"Hey, stop that!" Alex shouted, charging forwards. The man turned, looked at her, and guffawed at the sight of the Poke Balls in her hands.

"Put 'em away, pintsize," he chuckled. "Unless you fancy getting' hurt yourself."

"Let go of her," Alex hissed, her body trembling with rage. "What has she done to you?"

"She's my girl, I can do what I wants with her," the man retorted. "Now put them Balls away before I hurts ya."

"Squirtle, Rattata, let's go!" Alex shouted, choosing to release them instead. _If I run away from this now, I will never ever be able to forgive myself,_ she thought. _Squirtle, Rattata, I know that this is new for both of you but please; don't let me down, or I'll be in just as much trouble as that poor girl!_

"Bad move," the man said, tossing the girl to the side. She landed in a crumpled heap and didn't move. The man reached toward his belt and loosened it. Alex stiffened, prepared to run despite her earlier resolve, but the man reached into a hidden pocket in the lining of his jeans and brought out a grimy Poke Ball of his own. "Go Typhlosion, mop the floor with 'er."

"Grarrh!" the Typhlosion roared as it burst from the familiar red light onto the forest floor.

"Go, Squirtle, Bubble! Rattata, you use Tackle!" Alex shouted.

"Take em out, Typhlosion; Flame Wheel!" the man ordered. The Typhlosion leapt forwards, its body becoming enveloped in a wall of flames. The Bubble attack sizzled out of existence before it even reached its target, and both Squirtle and Rattata were struck by the attack with devastating force, sending them both flying backwards into the trees. Squirtle hit an oak shell-first; it struggled to its feet but then Rattata slammed into its stomach, and they collapsed into an immobile heap.

"Squirtle! Rattata!" Alex shrieked.

"Gee, that was quick," the man grinned, folding his arms. "Watcha gonna do now, kid?"

"This!" Alex said, clenching her fists and running forwards without any hesitation. "Hiiii-yahh!" she screamed, dashing past the stunned Typhlosion, lifting her leg, and kicking the man in the crotch as hard as she could. His eyes widened in shock as his knees buckled; and as his hands slid downwards, he crashed to the ground gasping for breath.

"Come on!" Alex shouted, grabbing the girl by the hand and dragging her up upright. She hauled her over her shoulder, giving the girl what little support she could, and pulled her into the trees, making sure to recall her fallen Pokémon with her free hand as she did so. They ran for several minutes, Alex not letting go of the girl's hand until they had come to a halt well under cover in the depths of the forest. Panting, they stood under the shade of a large tree on the edge of a clearing, trying to catch their breath.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked after her breathing turned back to normal. The girl nodded, her eyes wide.

"Y-yes," she whispered. "Thank you."

"I couldn't leave you like that," Alex said. "Who was that creep anyways?"

"He's my uncle," the girl said quietly. "My Mom died, and when Dad left home I had nowhere else to go. He took me in, but he beat me. I didn't even have any chores that I forgot to do; he just liked hitting me…"

"What a horrible person," Alex said decisively, and the girl nodded.

"I can't go back…" she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "He'll hurt me again if I do. I don't have anywhere else to go though…" Alex looked at her closely, examining the girl properly for the first time. Her blond hair hung loose and ran a little shorter than her own raven tresses, but it was a lot finer too. Her face was puffy, scratched and bruised from the numerous beatings she must have received, and her torn clothes were riddled with dirt. All in all she looked more like a vagabond than a scared ten-year old girl, but there was a certain aura about her; something about the way she held herself suggested that no matter how many times she was beaten down, she would continue to get back up and face her troubles head on. She didn't know why, but there was something about this girl that she liked.

"Why don't you come with me?" she offered. "I'm a Pokémon Trainer, so I'm always walking the land. We'll be far away from here – and your uncle – before you know it!"

"A Pokémon Trainer?" the girl repeated. "But… but I don't know how to train Pokémon."

"Well… to tell you the truth, neither do I," Alex admitted. "I only just started a day ago; but my Dad was one of the best, and my Mom's pretty good too, so I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out really soon!" A wan smile crossed the girl's face, and she held out her hand.

"My name is Yui," she said, and Alex took the proffered hand with a smile.

"I'm Alex, Alex Ketchum," she said, and the girl's eyes widened.

"If your Dad is who I think he is, than you weren't kidding when you said he was one of the best," she murmured.

"If she's the daughter of Ash Ketchum, then her chance to take on his crown has just died along with her," a heavy growl spoke, cutting through their brief moment of camaraderie.

Yui's uncle forced his way between a pair of trees, his small eyes glaring angrily as he strode awkwardly over to them, wincing slightly with every step. "You are going to pay for what you just did," he growled, his face distorted with wrath. Without any hesitation Alex scrambled to her feet and dashed forwards again, aiming for the same spot as before. His arm shot down and caught her by the leg. "Nice try," he grinned, before hoisting her upside down and smashing her in the cheek with a thickly muscled fist.

Alex's head rang at the impact, and blackness began to envelop her senses. _Now I know what Mom meant when she suggested I take one of Dad's old Pokémon to protect me from bad people…_ she thought dazedly. _What is he going to do to me? I wish I'd said yes to her now…_ There was a scream of pain, a roar of rage, and suddenly she was flying through the air. Hitting the ground on her side, she blacked out momentarily. She rolled limply across the ground, and came to rest at Yui's feet.

Alex groggily opened her eyes, her body rebooting with the cessation of movement, but she closed them again almost immediately, sure that she must be dreaming. Yet when she opened her eyes again, the same scene presented itself to her. A Pidgeot had burst through the canopy at its maximum speed, smashing into the man beak-first; as he had gone flying backwards his grip on her had loosened, and she had ended up moving in the opposite direction.

"Alex… Alex, are you okay?" Yui whispered, shaking her nervously.

"Pidgeot… I must be dreaming," Alex murmured.

"No," Yui said. "It really is a Pidgeot!" Suddenly Alex was awake, bolting upright and staring at the angry flying-type in disbelief.

"It can't be!" she gasped.

"Go, Tyranitar!" Yui's uncle roared. "Get rid of that bird! Typhlosion, you get the girls!" Both of the man's Pokémon materialized, and while the Tyranitar swung at the air, trying to land a hit on the Pidgeot, the Typhlosion barreled towards the two girls, its back igniting into a maelstrom of terrifying flames.

"Look out, Yui!" Alex shouted, twisting and knocking the stunned girl to the ground. She threw herself on top, trying to protect her new friend, as she waited for the impact with closed eyes.

"Errr-_lade_!" a voice roared, and there was a yelp of pain as the Typhlosion was thrown away on a single sharp blade.

"No way…" Alex mouthed, barely able to form the words as she turned and saw the Gallade standing defensively in between them and the fire-type.

"Where are all these Pokémon coming from?" Yui's uncle shouted in frustration. "Gastrodon, Ambipom, Rhydon, Golem! Get them!"

"Come on, Yui," Alex said, helping her to her feet. "We'd better get out of here, this is going to be really ugly."

"It's six on two, what do you expect?" Yui asked dully.

"I know, it would be a bit more even if it was ten on two," Alex agreed, "but they still wouldn't have a chance."

"What?" Yui asked, openmouthed.

"You'll see," Alex said, dragging her behind a tree. Huddling behind its safety, they watched the battle closely. Yui's jaw dropped further and further in her astonishment, and even Alex was surprised at the ferocity and severity with which the flying and psychic-types lunged into battle. They watched as the Typhlosion leapt for the Gallade, only to be met by thin air before it was smashed to the ground with a Slash, knocked unconscious in one hit. They watched as the Pidgeot took out the Tyranitar with a Steel Wing, as the Gallade knocked out the Rhydon and the Golem at the same time with a Leaf Blade, and as the Pidgeot finished off the last two Pokémon with a flurry of Quick Attacks. The six enemy Pokémon collapsed before even a minute had passed, leaving the Pidgeot and Gallade in the middle of the clearing without having received any damage at all.

"It's… it's impossible!" Yui's uncle gasped.

"I'm inclined to agree with him," Yui murmured.

"Not when it's my Dad's old Pokémon that he's facing," Alex said, stepping out from behind the tree. "Get out of here," she shouted across the clearing to Yui's uncle. "You can't beat Ash Ketchum's Pidgeot or Gallade."

"But… he's dead," the man whispered.

"Yeah, well see, the thing is his Pokémon like to keep a close eye on me to make sure I don't fall into the same kind of trouble that he always did," Alex called back. "Now if I were you, I'd run before they decide to start trying." Yui's uncle gasped, took a step back, and then fled from the clearing as quickly as his large size would permit, not even bothering to recall his defeated Pokémon. Waiting until she was sure he was gone, Alex ran across the clearing and buried her face in Pidgeot's breast feathers, breaking down in relief that she and Yui were safe.

"Thank you… thank you both," she whispered. "If you hadn't shown up…"

"Er," Gallade nodded, a look of happiness on his face. Maybe he hadn't been able to protect his master, but at least he'd been able to protect his master's daughter this time. Though it was rare for a Gardevoir or Gallade to bond so strongly with anyone other than their trainer, Ash's Ketchum's Gallade had been a close caretaker of Alex since her birth. There was an affection in his heart for her that nearly rivaled his undying bond with Ash, and because of that he had sensed the danger and teleported to her side.

"Pijo," Pidgeot fluted softly, hopping away from the grateful girl and taking to the air. Circling once, the flying-type wheeled upwards and vanished into the sunlight.

"Lade, erlade er," Gallade cautioned her, wagging his blade sternly before vanishing into thin air with a salute, leaving the two girls alone in the forest.

"Is… is it safe?" Yui asked, cautiously emerging from behind the tree.

"Yeah, he's gone," Alex said, gazing into the sky. "Gallade would never have left if there was any chance that we were still in danger."

"And those were really your father's Pokémon?" Yui asked.

"Yeah. And I'm glad they were there," Alex said softly before turning and moving with her newfound friend into the forest. Before she left, she took one last look into the sky; though she could not see her father's Pidgeot, she had the funniest feeling that it could still see her.


	5. The Road to Viridian City

**This must be a record; four chapters uploaded on time? Woohoo! I'm glad that so many of you are enjoying this. I should mention this story is a little more episodic than _Final Challenge_ was; picture each chapter as it's own episode of the anime, but take heart that all the filler has been cut out :-P. I hope that you enjoy this next installment!**

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Yui stumbled along the path a few feet behind Alex; though she didn't want to admit it to her new friend, the day's events had exhausted here thoroughly, and she felt unable to go much farther. Two beatings in the morning, which had included a harsh kick to her ribs, a sprained ankle from being yanked through the forest by Alex as they ran from her Uncle, and then a non-stop march at a fairly brisk pace for the rest of the day had taken most of her energy. Looking at the sky she noticed the red-orange glow of sunset and began to hope that Alex would stop to set up camp within a few minutes. She paused a moment, trying to ease her ankle for a few seconds while she watched Alex traverse up an incline a short way off.

"Look, Yui!" Alex said excitedly from the crest. "It's Viridian City! Come on, if we hurry we can make it to the Pokémon Centre before nightfall!" Yui crept up the hill behind her, taking a look at the city for herself, which was barely visible in the distance

"It... it looks kinda far…" she said uncertainly. "I don't know if I can make it."

"Nah, it's closer than it looks," Alex responded, squinting. "Besides, the Pokémon Centre is always open. We'll be able to make it before it's too late." Yui took a tentative step forward and her ankle buckled. She could not prevent herself from issuing a small cry of pain.

"I'm serious Alex," Yui panted, sitting down heavily with a wince. "I can't make it. I don't think I could go any further if I wanted to."

"Yui… what's wrong?" Alex asked in concern. Her gaze raked her friend's body, and she crouched down immediately as she noticed the glimmer in Yui's eyes that heralded her suppressed tears.

"It's my ankle," Yui gritted. "I twisted it when we were running earlier. I can't put any more weight on it."

"What? Why didn't you say something earlier?" Alex asked.

"I… I didn't want it to slow you down," Yui said lamely. "And I wanted to get as far away from _there_ as possible," she added softly.

"Well you definitely can't go any further on that," Alex said, eying the injured ankle with a wince. "But we can't set up camp here; it's too unprotected." A cold wind blew across their shoulders and Alex shivered. "There's a storm coming later tonight," she murmured, eyeing the sky as the last vestige of sunlight vanished. Then her expression brightened.

"I know!" she said, digging into her pocket and drawing out her mother's old PokéGear. "My Mom's friend lives really close to here, I bet he'd take us in without a thought!" She manipulated the menu for a moment, trying to find the right number before dialling.

"Oh good, it _is_ the right number!" she exclaimed into the mouthpiece as the receiver at the opposite end was lifted. She listened a moment and then laughed. "Yes, it's me," she said. "Listen, I'm with a friend near Viridian City but she's hurt her leg and can't walk. Is it alright if we stay with you tonight?" Yui watched as Alex listened to the response and answered the unheard question by describing their location. There was another pause and then Alex snapped the lid closed, beaming.

"I told you it wouldn't be a problem," she smiled, squatting down next to Yui again. "He's gonna come and find us. He doesn't live too far from here so we shouldn't be waiting long."

"I hope," Yui said, shivering as another cold breeze blew up against them. "He's not… he's not like my uncle, is he?"

"Oh no, he's the nicest guy you could ever meet," Alex said. "He's a pretty good healer too, so he'll look after your ankle once we're at his house."

"That's good," Yui breathed in relief. They sat in silence for a few moments, Alex looking forward to a hot meal and bath, and Yui just hoping for her ankle and ribs to feel better. Alex stiffened suddenly, cocking her head upright.

"Did you hear that?" she asked, and Yui shook her head.

"Alex!" a voice called faintly, and she jumped to her feet.

"Over here," she shouted back over the crest of the hill, waving her arms as a small torchlight became visible approaching up the side of the hill. Yui huddled back instinctively as the man's outline became visible in the darkness. Alex beamed at the sight of him and rushed forwards to throw her arms around him.

"Easy," the man laughed, fending her off with his arm. "Where's your friend?"

"Over here," Alex said, and Yui squinted as the man turned in her direction and shone his torch into her eyes. Looking past the glow, she watched as the blackness resolved into a soft and friendly face with a kindly smile. His aura was so unlike her uncle's that she relaxed, feeling for the first time that there was a man in the world who she could trust.

Nevertheless, when he passed Alex the torch and squatted down to her level she recoiled. Seemingly not noticing her reaction, he took a cursory look at her swollen ankle and bruised face. "Come on," he said quietly, "you can't walk on that. I'll have to carry you back; can you stand up?"

"Y-yes, sir," she whispered, and he smiled gently.

"What's with the 'sir'?" he asked. "You can just call me Brock. Here, up we go... That's better." He stood, Yui cradled in his arms with her hands locked around his neck. Pursing his lips he uttered a sharp whistle, and a few moments later came the faint sound of barking.

"Lead the way, Alex," he said. "Just follow the barks; the Houndoom will guide you."

* * *

Brock closed the bedroom door softly, a look of ugly rage on his face. Holly, his wife, and Alex watched him from the table, Alex with a large, steaming portion of stew on the plate in front of her. Yui lay asleep, tucked comfortably away in a soft bed on the other side of the door, oblivious to the conversation panning out only a few feet away.

"Marcus," Brock growled. "I should have known when I saw her injuries on the path, but I thought the dim light was making them look worse than they actually were. Too bad it was the other way around."

Alex was silent; she had been starving all the way to Brock's house and while she was in the bath, but she had lost her appetite the moment she saw just how bad Yui's wounds were. The bruised face had only been the surface, as Holly found out when dressing her injuries. Newly clean, Yui had left the bathroom in a soft white robe before Holly led her into the privacy of the bedroom and gave her a concoction to help her sleep. Yui had taken the ankle bandage happily, but was very hesitant to allow Holly to check the rest of her over. Suspecting that her injuries extended beyond the twisted ankle and facial bruising, Holly had waited until the girl was fast asleep before looking for any more signs of damage.

What she had found was so stunning that she had screamed involuntarily, causing both Brock and Alex to dash into the room to see what was wrong. Even Alex was stunned at the extent; privately she wondered how Yui had been able to walk at all. Her body was covered in bruises, and her thin frame had several ugly blotches along it at regular intervals. Unable to stand the sight, she had walked shakily back out into the kitchen, kindly accompanied by Holly who tried to get her to eat some dinner while Brock treated the wounds. Thankfully, the concoction Holly had given Yui was so strong she hadn't been woken by either the scream or the treatment.

Now Brock had finished with his efforts and, his jaw tight with anger at Yui's injuries, he returned to the kitchen.

"So you think it was Marcus?" Holly asked.

"Who else do we know in this area that would hurt somebody like that for the sheer fun of it?" Brock replied. "I've seen him knock down an old lady because she was leaving the shop too slowly. And the description Alex gave me of Yui's uncle certainly resembles him." He clenched a fist, his body shaking at the thought of Yui's injuries. "I think I might pay him a visit tomorrow," he growled.

"Please don't," Alex begged. "His Pokémon are really strong, you might get hurt!"

"They're nothing to worry about," Brock said dismissively. "We've been in scrapes before; he tried to poach one of our Miltank a few times, and I never had any trouble beating him. I only need Swampert or Forretress with me."

"Well, they were a lot to worry about for me," Alex mumbled. "They took out my Squirtle and Rattata in one hit each."

"Maybe, but you haven't even been on the road for a full day yet," Holly said to her gently. "You're still getting to know your Pokémon, and they haven't even begun to get stronger yet. Don't forget, your Dad's Pidgeot and Gallade took them down effortlessly, and it was because he trained them so well. Your Squirtle and Rattata will become just as strong eventually. Though I agree that you shouldn't go and see Marcus," she added to Brock.

"I won't, if only for the reason that Yui is here right now," Brock said. "If he finds that out you can bet there will be trouble." He sighed, running his hands through his hair before turning to look out the window towards the hatchery.

"Brock, Holly?" Alex asked.

"What is it?" Holly asked.

"Well," she said, sounding almost embarrassed. "I wanted to ask… since you were talking about my Dad's Pokémon… What was my Dad like?"

"Hasn't May ever talked to you about him?" Brock asked, exchanging a glance with his wife.

"Well... not really," she admitted. "Every time I tried to ask her she got a really upset look on her face and tried to change the subject. All I know about him is what I've seen on TV or read in old newspaper articles. But all that does is tell me what he did, not what he was like."

"I only met your father the once," Holly said with a gentle smile. "It was at a Tag-battle tournament in Sinnoh. I spent most of my time there synching strategies with Brock, but I did get to know him a little. His mind was unique; he couldn't read body language if there was a dictionary for it in front of him, and he was extraordinarily obtuse when it came to matters of the heart. But when it came to battling, he had an amazing ability to analyze the field and create an opening where none existed."

"He was the best friend I ever had," Brock said softly. "When he started his journey, my Gym was the first one he challenged. He won a badge on his second try, but withdrew because he didn't want my Onix to get hurt. To care not only for your Pokémon, but your opponent's Pokémon as well… That was only the first thing he taught me. I travelled almost everywhere with him, and when he defeated the Elite Four and became a Frontier Brain, I was the first person he asked to stay with him at the Colosseum.

"He was a great man. He cared about everyone, even his fiercest rivals. Save for Paul, that is," he muttered.

"Paul," Alex repeated, her tongue savouring the unfamiliar name. "Who was he?"

"It's best if you don't know," Brock answered. "That's something you should ask your mother, not us." Alex nodded, disappointed.

"Come on," Holly said, standing up with a stretch. "It's late, and you need to sleep."

"I'm not tired," Alex protested.

"You will be tomorrow," Holly said, and Alex shrugged.

"So I'll pitch my tent and take a quick nap," she said. "It's no big deal."

"You're not leaving tomorrow?" Brock asked in surprise.

"Course I am," Alex said. "I want to get to my first Gym, and we should make good time now that Yui's ankle is bandaged up." Brock and Holly glanced at each other.

"Alex, Yui isn't in a state to go anywhere," Holly said gently. "Her ankle may be better, but the rest of her won't be. You saw her injuries, and I'm honestly surprised that she was able to make it this far. She needs to rest up for a little while, and her bandages will need to be changed tomorrow too."

"But," Alex began.

"No buts," Brock said sternly. "If you go tomorrow, you'll have to go alone. It will only make her worse if she has to walk all day in that condition."

"Fine," Alex sighed. "How long will she have to stay until she's ready?"

"A day, maybe two," Brock said, looking at Holly. "She should be fine after that."

"We know that you're raring to go, Alex," Holly said. "We were both starting out once too, you know. But you have to understand that if Yui is going to travel with you, she needs to heal up first."

"I understand," she murmured.

"Good," Brock said, nodding his head. "By the way, Alex, you've told us about your Pokémon, but not about Yui's. What does she have?"

"She doesn't have any Pokémon," Alex answered.

"Really?" Brock asked, arching his eyebrows in surprise. "Hmm…"

"Go on then," Holly said, shooing Alex towards the bedroom door. "Time for everyone to tuck in, myself included." She turned to Brock. "Coming?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"In a few minutes," he said. "I want to check on the eggs before I go."

"Alright, don't be too long," Holly said, giving him a quick hug.

"I won't," he grinned. "Goodnight you two."

"Night," Alex replied before sliding into the darkened bedroom. Finding her bed next to Yui's, she quickly changed and slipped under the snug covers. Lying on her side, she noticed that a faint moonlight was drifting in through the window, illuminating Yui. She took a moment to examine her new friend and travelling companion more closely than she had done yet.

In sleep her face did not carry the heavy burden that her life so far had wrought on her. Her features were soft, and she looked very vulnerable. The bangs of her hair were roughly the same length as her own, but the rest of it was much longer than she had initially thought; let down, it cascaded down her back and reached almost to her knees. It was amazing how peaceful she looked lying there.

Yawning, Alex closed her eyes and surrendered herself to sleep.

* * *

**Yes, I'm aware that in the anime Brock decided to become a Doctor. But this is set in the Final Challengeverse, and in that story he was described as a Breeder; plus this was written a year and a half ago and I am too lazy to rework such an integral point, :P. I hope that you all enjoyed it! As ever, please review! Feedback is my bread and butter.**


	6. A Meaningful Gift

**So I guess nobody liked the last chapter? Ah well, hopefully this one will be more engaging to you all; it's my favourite thus far to be sure. Enjoy!**

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Alex awoke very reluctantly to the sound of Holly's Dodrio greeting the new day. She wrinkled her nose in distaste as she realized that the morning sun was shining through a crack in the curtains and onto her face. Yawning, she turned over and tried to get back to sleep, but the morning warmth prevented her from doing so, even when she rolled over and buried herself in her blankets. With a sigh she pivoted and sat so that her legs dangled over the edge of the bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. It was then that she realized Yui was watching her.

"What?" she snapped irritably. "Did I grow an extra nose during the night?" Yui shrugged as best she could while still lying in the bed.

"You look the same to me," she responded. Alex growled and slid into her slippers before stomping towards the door and yanking it open. A crash and several muffled curses indicated that she had turned the wrong way and walked into the wall. Yui watched in bemusement as her companion stomped back past the open down, grumbling under her breath as she made for the bathroom. Holly, carrying a tray laden with several steaming plates of food, navigated between the grumpy girl and the open door, giving Yui a quick smile tinged with embarrassment as she noticed the puzzlement on her face.

"You'll have to excuse her, Yui," she said quietly, glancing towards the door. "She's not really a morning person."

"Oh," Yui said noncommittally, though her face cleared of confusion. "What's with all those dishes, Holly?" The woman looked surprised.

"Well, its breakfast of course!" she said. "There's an oat porridge topped with some of Brock's special Combee honey, buttered toast, an apple, and a glass of fresh Miltank milk." Yui looked at her expectantly, and Holly stared back, beginning to feel confused herself as the girl watched her. The uncomfortable pause dragged on until Yui hesitantly asked:

"Aren't you going to eat it?" Holly spluttered.

"What? I've already eaten. This isn't for me, it's for you!"

"For me?" Yui gasped, stunned. "A-all of it?"

"Well who else would it be for?" Holly asked.

"I... I thought you were going to have it," Yui murmured, looking at the food. "My uncle always ate his breakfast in front of me; I only ate what he couldn't finish, which wasn't very much most of the time." She looked back at Holly, who was surprised to see tears in the girl's eyes.

"A-are you sure it's for me?" she whispered. "This isn't a joke, is it?" Holly's heart almost broke with the question.

"Here," she said gently, helping the girl into a sitting position and laying the tray across her knees. "Eat what you can. Call me when you've finished and I'll come and take the dishes before changing your bandages. Enjoy." She gave the girl a sad smile and left the room, closing the door softly behind her. Yui stared at the door and then back at the food. The tears she had tried not to shed could no longer be kept back, and she wept softly into her napkin.

* * *

Alex was in a foul mood, much to Brock's amusement. Though she had been more than happy with his delicious cooking for breakfast, she was not pleased when he instructed her to wash up. She was even less amused when, turning her head halfway through scrubbing her second pan, she realized he had snuck out and left her alone. The bad temper was somewhat placated when Holly returned from the bedroom and helped her to dry, but it returned in full force when she was given a broom and told to sweep the crumbs from the kitchen floor. Again she was left alone as Holly went to change Yui's bandages, and when she noticed Brock leaning against a doorframe, she rewarded him with her sullenest scowl.

"You know, you should really try harder," Brock remarked, not put off by her glare in the slightest.

"With what?" she growled.

"Look Alex, we all know you're not a morning person," he said. "I know you can't have been pleased to wake up to that Dodrio. But can you at least try to smile?"

"Why should I, when I'm left doing all the work and you go to relax outside?" she asked.

"I cooked the breakfast," Brock pointed out, "then I went outside to check on the Miltank and the eggs, not to relax. And Holly's taking care of your friend and making sure she's okay to travel. We're all busy, and we've got lots of stuff to do. I don't think a swept floor is too much to ask for, and it really helps us out too." Alex began to feel shamefaced as he spoke, and she hung her head when he was done.

"You're right," she said softly. "I'm sorry, Uncle Brock. I just really don't like mornings."

"If you're planning on travelling, you're going to have to get used to them," Brock pointed out. He moved forward and took the broom from Alex. "Why don't you check on the Houndoom?" he asked. "I'll finish up here." Alex's face brightened almost immediately.

"Okay!" she exclaimed, dashing towards the door.

"Watch your speed!" Brock called out after her. "They don't like surprises!" He sighed as she vanished from sight and Holly re-entered the kitchen.

"Remember when we were like that?" she asked with a grin.

"I never had the chance to be that energetic," he said. "I envy her, but she'll have to grow up really quickly if she's going to travel Kanto. Yui seems a lot calmer and less impulsive; I hope Alex learns that from her." He sighed again. "How is our little patient anyway?" he asked.

"Better," Holly answered. "She knows we saw the rest of her scratches though; I told her I was the one who bandaged them up so she wouldn't get embarrassed."

"Do you think she can walk to the barn?" Brock asked.

"If I support her she will be able to," Holly answered.

"Good; I'll give it to her then," he nodded slowly before stretching. "I think I'll go check on Alex," he remarked. "There's a lot I want to show her before she goes."

* * *

Alex was kept so busy working next to Brock over the next several hours that she completely lost track of time. The tasks he gave her were hard but enjoyable, and she learned more in that brief time than she could have imagined. She was taught how to properly groom a Pokémon's coat, and about the special Ponyta-tail brush you had to use for fire-types because the regular kind would ignite against their coat. She was able to approximate a Pokémon's health from the sheen of its coat, and learned how to apply Potion to an injury. After a quick break for lunch, Holly took her to the top of a shady hill and showed her how to straighten a Flying-type's ruffled feathers, and how to mix vitamins into a Pokémon's food. By the end of this particular lesson her mental faculties were exhausted, and she flopped wearily onto the ground.

"Oh man," she groaned, brushing a hand against her forehead and flinging a considerable amount of sweat to the ground. "Are we done?"

"Not quite yet," Holly laughed. "You can take a couple of minutes rest though." She sat down next to the girl, enjoying the shade of a nearby pine as she looked across the ranch with quiet pride, brushing her long red hair over one shoulder as she did so.

"How do you do it every day?" Alex asked, watching her.

"Hmm?" Holly asked.

"All of this work," Alex said, vaguely indicating the grounds spread out below them with a sweep of her arm. "There's just so much of it. I mean, I've been helping out and there's still lots to do!"

"We do it because we have to, and because it's what we love to do," Holly answered her. "When I was a trainer, I never thought that this would be my future. But I'm glad that it is. Brock never particularly enjoyed battling, even when he was a Gym leader. His greatest pleasure came from raising and interacting with Pokémon, and bringing out their inner strengths through his care. Now he gets to do what he has always enjoyed most, and I get to do it with him."

She gave the fields one last look and, noticing Brock emerging from the egg house, she stood with a stretch. "Come on, Alex," she called, "it's time to check on Yui. Help me, won't you?"

"Okay," Alex called, struggling to her feet. "Do you think she'll be able to travel tomorrow?" Holly hesitated a moment before answering.

"She's healing a lot quicker than we expected, and her ankle is doing better. We'll have to see, but so long as you make sure to set a slow pace..." She left the phrase hanging and continued on her way down to the house, Alex following closely behind.

* * *

"How does the ankle feel?" Holly asked, carefully taking most of Yui's weight on her own shoulder. Yui grimaced as she took a tentative step and felt the pain twinge through her tendons.

"It still hurts, but it feels a lot more comfortable," she answered. Holly nodded to Alex, and she fell into step on Yui's other side as they moved slowly towards the door. Yui expected them to turn around once they reached the threshold, but was surprised when Holly manoeuvred her into the hallway. "Where are we going?" she asked, and Holly could not prevent the shadow of a smile from crossing her lips.

"You'll see," she answered. "Brock and I have a surprise for you two." Alex looked as startled as her friend at that, but decided not to question Holly any further. They would, she reasoned, find out soon enough, and Holly was notoriously bad at keeping secrets. _Best to keep it a surprise for as long as possible_, she thought.

Yui gritted her teeth against the pain as they moved; her ankle throbbed, but at least it was bearable. The moved out of the house and walked slowly along a gravel path into a nearby copse. They came to a small clearing, and Yui was quietly relieved when Holly directed her and Alex to sit on a bench at the edge. The short journey had left her tired and so she closed her eyes, taking a brief rest. She didn't notice Holly slip away through the trees, though it left Alex feeling more confused.

She wasn't gone long, and when she returned Brock was with her, his hands held behind his back. Alex gently nudged Yui back to awareness. When he saw her eyes open, Brock began without preamble.

"Alex, Holly and I have a gift for you to help you on your journey," he said, bringing his left arm around and presenting her with a Pokéball. Alex looked at it uncomprehendingly.

"A Pokéball?" she asked. "I mean, it's nice of you and all, and I don't want to seem rude, but Gar- I mean, Professor Oak gave me lots of them."

"It's not the Pokéball that's important, it's what's inside of it," Brock responded. Alex looked blankly at him for a moment longer, and then realization cleared her face.

"Really?" she said excitedly, "you're giving me a Pokémon?" Brock nodded and gave it to her, a grin splitting across his own face at her enthusiasm.

"Yes," he said. "I hope you take good care of it, Alex."

"Oh, I will!" she exclaimed, releasing the creature from the ball. It materialized in a burst of light, hovering slightly above the ground. She stared at it curiously; the Pokémon was unfamiliar to her, though she felt sure she'd seen it's likeness before. The body was blocky, composed of weirdly structured parallelograms, trapezoids, and pyramids, and the edges were so abrupt that she felt sure her skin would be sliced open if she gave it a careless pat. The colouring was a strange mix of red and blue, with the former covering the torso and most of the head, and the latter on the limbs, tail, and nose.

"It's a Porygon," Brock explained, noticing her confusion. "It's extremely rare, and very hard to breed. Raising it will be a big challenge, but if you bring out its true potential, you will know that you are a powerful trainer."

"It's so beautiful," Yui murmured, looking at the Pokémon in awe.

"Gon," the Porygon droned, floating away on the air as it looked around the clearing in boredom.

"We have something for you too, Yui," Holly said softly, and the girl looked at her, startled.

"For me?" she asked, and Holly nodded the affirmative. Now Brock brought his right hand around, and in it was another gleaming Pokéball.

"No," she gasped. "A-a Pokémon? For me?" Brock nodded silently, handing the Ball over to her. "But... but..." she stammered, looking from Brock to Holly and then back to Brock again. Then, to their abject amazement, she burst into tears. Holly was at her side instantly.

"Yui, what's wrong? Is it the ankle?" she asked. Yui shook her head, unable to speak, the sobs racking her body as she pressed the Pokéball tightly to her chest.

"It's... it's the... the first time I've ever been given anything," she managed eventually. "I... I just... no one's ever been so kind to me before," and she dissolved into fresh wracks of emotion.

Holly and Brock glanced at each other, and the look that passed between them spoke of a deep understanding. The woman put her arms around the girl and held her closely, allowing her contact to drain away the excess emotion. At last, Yui raised her head, sniffed a little, and smiled apologetically at them both.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "You give me my first Pokémon, and I start bawling. It's not a very good way to thank you for being so nice to me."

"No, Yui," Holly said softly, "you're wrong. It shows that you'll take really good care of your Pokémon. Treat it right, and you'll have a close friend and companion for life; and a protector too." Yui nodded.

"I... I will," she vowed, pressing the button in the centre and releasing the creature within. When the white light vanished a little brown fox-like creature was sitting on the grass, looking at her with deep, liquid brown eyes on a slightly cocked head. "Oh! Cutie!" Yui breathed, and the Pokémon leapt up into her arms with a happy cry of "Vui!" Yui was amazed at the softness of its fur and began to stroke it, enjoying the feeling of the silky hairs against her palm. It gave a contented sigh and snuggled down against her skin.

"It's an Eevee, a Pokémon almost as rare as Alex's Porygon," Brock said with a smile. "It can evolve in one of seven different ways, depending on how you raise it. Take care of her, okay?" Yui looked up at him, and the joy in her eyes almost dazzled him.

"Okay!"


	7. Aeris

**Oops. Looks like I forgot to update as scheduled on Friday. Sorry everyone, it completely slipped my mind! But it's up now, and the longest chapter yet. I hope you enjoy, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far!**

* * *

"Vui," Eevee sighed, snuggling deeper into Yui's arms as she stood and looked across the room at her still-sleeping friend. Grinning, she slipped into her shoes and left the room, closing the door carefully behind her so as to not disturb Alex's slumber. She stole silently through the house, surprised and pleased with how well her ankle bore her weight.

"Morning Yui," Holly called as she passed by the kitchen.

"Oh, good morning!" Yu said cheerily.

"You're up early; is anything wrong?" Holly asked, taking a quick sip of her coffee.

"No, I'm used to waking up early. I always had a lot of work to do, so I almost always saw the sun rise. I just wanted to spend a little time playing with Eevee before breakfast. I hope that's okay."

"Oh, it's fine," Holly reassured her, smiling. "However, on the subject of breakfast... there may be a few hours to go before that." She glanced at the clock. "It's barely past six; Alex will probably be asleep until at least nine."

"Maybe I should wake her up in an hour," Yui suggested. "I know she wants to cover a lot of ground today, and she'd probably be more upset if we let her sleep in than she would if I woke her up early."

"It's your call," Holly laughed. Yui grinned back and moved on to the door; she stopped after a few steps and turned to face Holly, who raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"I just wanted to thank you and Brock again," Yui said sincerely in answer to the unspoken question. "I can't ever remember meeting anybody as kind as you two. You've done so much for me, and you barely know me. It's... it's just... I..."

"It's nothing, really," Holly said, trying to wave off the sudden feeling of embarrassment that swept over her. "People like Marcus... they're extremely rare in this world. Most of us learned years ago that doing the best you can for others in need is the best path to a fruitful and happy life. Almost everyone I know would have tried to help you with your ankle."

"And the Eevee?" Yui asked. Holly opened her mouth, but realized suddenly that she didn't have an answer. She grinned ruefully at the girl, who smiled back in understanding. "Bye!" she called, suddenly wheeling and charging for the door.

"Watch the ankle!" Holly called before turning back to her coffee.

Yui heard the warning and only grinned to herself; the ankle felt much healthier than it had since before she met Alex, and the running produced only the mildest discomfort. She skidded to a halt as she burst outside, a gasp of delight at the early morning escaping her. The grass sparkled with dew and felt cool to the touch, while the haze of an early rainbow shone against the moisture on the trees. She knelt down and Eevee jumped from her arms, stretching before turning back to her trainer with a smile on her face.

"Come on Eevee; catch me if you can!" Yui called, dashing off through the garden. The Eevee was after her like a shot, darting about her legs with happy cries of "Vui! Vui!" From the Egg Barn, Brock watched her with a smile on his face. For the first time in her life, Yui was experiencing happiness. For the first time she had a friend.

* * *

"I've stocked up both of your packs with food; enough until Pewter City at least," Holly said.

"And I've added some of my home-made Pokémon food," Brock added. "It should last you until at least Cerulean City, depending on how many more you capture. Oh, and your medical supplies are all taken care of too; you've got enough Super Potion and Full Heal to make Gary Oak jealous!"

"Thanks, Uncle Brock," Alex smiled, unsuccessfully trying to stifle a yawn of tiredness. True to her word, Yui had woken a grumpy Alex at seven. She wasn't very pleased to be awake when the sun was still tinged red, but she was eager to set out and had wolfed down her breakfast. Now they were ready to be on their way, and the forthcoming journey beckoned them forwards.

Yui added her thanks to Alex's, but was strangely silent throughout the rest of the exchange. Alex didn't notice, but Brock and Holly understood the reasons; to her the supplies were just another example of their excessive kindness, and she didn't know how to react to everything that they had done for her. Alex strode off down the path without a backward glance, ready for the road ahead, but Yui hesitated before following. She gave Holly first, and then Brock, a tight hug that seemed to convey her emotions far better than words ever could, and then hurried down the path after her friend, Eevee loping along quite easily at her side.

Holly watched her go with moist eyes, wiping away the dampness with the back of her hand.

"She'll be alright," Brock said quietly to her. "Her experience with the world has been hard and cruel, but it's made her as tough as steel. No matter what happens to them in their journey, she'll get through it; and I wouldn't be surprised if she helped Alex through it too."

"I know," Holly said, "but still, I wish I could go with them; they both seem so vulnerable, and it's already been quite the experience for them. I just feel like they need protecting." Brock threw his arm around her shoulder and grinned.

"Forget about them needing protection; it's the world that will need protecting from them!" he laughed.

* * *

The dark forest cloaked them in shadow as they moved silently onwards. Viridian City was only a few hours ahead, Alex knew. The excitement rose in her body as she remembered her mother telling her about the Gym there; she couldn't wait for her first challenge! Images rose unbidden in her mind, images of her and her three Pokémon going head to head with the mysterious Gym leader and defeating their three shadowy Pokémon with ease. She grinned, shouldering her pack so that it sat more comfortably; she could already taste the victory.

Yui's scream broke her out of her reverie just in time to dive to the side and avoid being roasted by a jet of fire that shot out from a gap in the trees. Panting in shock, she twisted her body and raised her head in the direction of the attack, ready to dodge away again at any moment. Her body tingled with adrenaline, and she didn't even feel the fresh scrape on her arm. Her eyes flitted from side to side, searching, searching, searching, there! A slight movement on the tree line!

"Pity," a voice said, colder than ice; Alex felt her body shiver just from the sound of it. "I was hoping you'd a bit more attentive than that. If it weren't for your friend you'd be in a lot of pain right now."

"Who are you?" Alex demanded, her eyes fixed on the shape within the shadows. "If you wanna fight, then come out here and do it instead of hiding like a coward!"

"Alex..." Yui said warningly, taking a step back as Eevee jumped into her arms and growled protectively in the direction of the trees.

"Well... if that's what you want," the voice whispered, and the figure was slowly revealed. Just who Alex was expecting to step out onto the path she wasn't sure, but it certainly wasn't the slight girl who now confronted her, a Houndour at her side. Alex appraised her carefully.

She was both shorter and slighter than the rather tall Alex, and a little shorter than Yui too. Her tresses were as dark as her own, and there was something familiar about both her facial features and her overall figure, though Alex couldn't figure out exactly who they reminded her off. It was the eyes that really caught her attention though; they were as frigid as her voice, and frightening in their intensity.

"What do you want?" Alex asked, her voice cracking unwittingly. The girl smirked.

"My name is Aeris," she replied. "I'm here to battle Ketchum's kid."

"You want to battle me? Why?" Alex asked in surprise.

"My reasons are my own. I will not explain them because I do not expect you to have the capacity to understand," the girl replied tonelessly.

"Fine!" Alex growled, her inherited inborn eagerness to battle taking the control of her emotions away from her momentary terror. Dropping her hand to her belt, she yanked out a Pokéball and expanded it. Yui took another step back, feeling the tension in the air ratchet up another notch. The expression in Aeris's eyes had caught her attention too, but not for the coldness within them; no, she had been captivated for a different reason, by the danger inside.

"Houndour, attack," Aeris said, folding her arms across her chest.

"Squirtle, let's go!" Alex shouted, summoning the Tiny Turtle. The forest was momentarily lit up by the red beam of light, and when it faded Squirtle was facing the Houndour defiantly.

"Squir!" it said defiantly, twisting its head and blasting a leaf from a nearby branch with a thinly concentrated blast of water.

"Shame; your Squirtle seems more interested in showing off than in battling," Aeris commented. "But if it doesn't want the first attack, I'll gladly take it! Houndour, Crunch!" Her Pokémon shot forwards, mouth opened savagely as it prepared to bite down on the Squirtle.

"Squirtle, use Withdraw!" Alex ordered in panic, and the Houndour was left with a mouthful of shell and several aching teeth. Rather than being upset by this setback, Aeris merely grinned.

"Hiding inside its shell has only made it more vulnerable," she declared. "Houndour, use Flamethrower and aim it into the shell!" Stunned, Alex's mouth was left hanging open as she tried to find a counter strategy. Squirtle's scream of pain soon jolted her back to reality, and she was left clenching her fist in frustration as her Pokémon, no longer Withdrawn, staggered backwards, smoke leaking from its shell.

"Now, charge forward and use Flamethrower again!" Aeris ordered, and Alex finally hit upon her strategy. It was risky and could only be used at the last second, but...

"Squirtle!" Alex screamed as she saw the Houndour's mouth open at close range. "Use Water Gun, now!"

A deluge of water burst from Squirtle's jaw; at that range the fire-type's move had no chance of overcoming the disadvantage, and the flames were extinguished as water poured into its mouth. The Houndour staggered back, shaking its head. A final, weak jet of flame issued from its nostrils as the Pokémon snorted dazedly, forcing Yui to scramble backwards in search of cover again; she tripped and the flame petered out over her head. Raising it cautiously, she saw the Houndour take one more step back, trip on its own paws, and then keel over. Aeris withdrew the Pokémon silently, pocketing it as Alex withdrew her Squirtle.

"Are we finished here?" she shouted, and to her surprise Aeris laughed.

"Oh, we are far from finished," she replied. "I still have two more Pokémon to use; do you?" Alex gritted her teeth at the girl's taunting tone.

"Of course I do!" she yelled angrily. "What kind of novice trainer do you think I am?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Alex balled her fists in her fury. "I've had enough of your fat mouth!" she yelled. "Do me a favour and save your answer until my next Pokémon! Go, Porygon!" The blocky form of the digitally-created Pokémon appeared, and Aeris appraised it coldly. Though rare, Porygon had the potential to become extremely strong; she would have to make her next choice carefully...

"It's your turn, Shinx," she called after a moment's deliberation, throwing her Pokéball into the air, and a cute blue-black kitten-like Pokémon materialized on the ground. Alex was taken aback; after the Houndour, she had expected all of Aeris's Pokémon to be just as tough and nasty-looking. But this Shinx was so cute! It looked so weak and helpless. She couldn't help it; a grin spread across her face.

"You find something funny about my Shinx?" Aeris demanded.

"You don't seriously expect to beat my Porygon with _tha_t, do you?" Alex asked condescendingly. "It won't even be worth the effort. Porygon, attack!"

But apparently the Porygon was of the same opinion as its trainer. It floated a ways back down the path, ignoring the command entirely as it chose instead to examine an interestingly shaped fern.

"Porygon, didn't you hear me?" Alex shouted angrily. "I told you to attack it!" The Porygon looked at her derisively before opening its mouth in what was clearly a yawn and settling down in the fern with its eyes shut. Alex was thunderstruck.

"Can you not even control your Pokémon?" Aeris mused derisively. "You're even weaker than I thought you'd be."

"Porygon, return!" Alex shouted angrily, and the snoozing creature was returned to its Pokéball. "Alright then! Rattata, let's go! Use Tackle!"

"Tackle?" Aeris snorted. "Shinx, use Spark." Both Pokémon charged at each other and collided head-on; both were sent reeling backwards, panting slightly from the force of the collision. "Run in and Bite," Aeris ordered, and her Shinx ran forward, mouth opened wide, ready to inflict a nasty injury on the opponent.

"Rattata, dodge it and use... use... use Quick Attack!" Alex yelled, frantically trying to remember what Rattata's attacks were. The Shinx leapt and bit down on thin air as Alex's Rattata managed to dodge it just in time. The normal-type twisted on the spot and back into position, slamming into the Shinx's flank with a surprising strength for such a little creature. The Shinx squealed in surprise and twisted to bite down again, but using the speed of the Quick Attack the Rattata was able to jump away and then ram it again. The Shinx moaned from the assault, its legs trembled, and then the Pokémon collapsed.

Aeris recalled her beaten Pokémon without a word, reaching to her belt for her final Pokéball. When she looked at them again, Alex and Yui were surprised to see the hatred shining from her eyes. "Spearow, it's your turn," she called, throwing her Pokéball viciously into the air.

"Rattata, return!" Alex called, bringing her tired Pokémon in for a rest. "Thanks, that was a great effort for your first real battle," she whispered. "Squirtle, I need you again!"

"Two tired Pokémon are all you have left," Aeris observed. "I don't think this will take too long. Spearow, Peck!"

"Keep it away with Water Gun!" Alex countered, finally getting into her stride.

"Mirror Move!" Aeris ordered, and to Alex's complete surprise, a thin jet of water met Squirtle's. The two attacks struggled against one another for a moment, and then to Squirtle's shock, the Spearow's blast overpowered its own, smacking into the water-type and knocking it onto its back.

"Squirtle!" Alex shouted, aghast, and a thin smile lit Aeris's face; the appearance it gave her was truly frightening.

"Time to finish this up," she decided as she watched Squirtle struggle helplessly on its back. "Spearow, dive in and Peck!" Alex said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Squirtle, Withdraw and spin!" she yelled. Squirtle ducked all its limbs inside its shell and, trying to sway side to side as much as it could, began to spin slowly. Yui covered her eyes; she could see clearly what Alex was trying to do, but she didn't think that Squirtle would get enough speed in time. But it was definitely moving faster now; the dust was beginning to blow away, and the centrifugal force was keeping the shell perfectly angled as it spun.

There was a clang, a squawk of surprise, a scream of anger from Aeris, and then there was silence. Yui peeked through her fingers and realized that Squirtle was slowing down, while Alex dashed up to help it get to its feet. The Spearow was, somehow, lodged beak-first in a tree, apparently unconscious.

"Luck," Aeris breathed as she recalled her third Pokémon. "You shouldn't be pleased or proud with how you fought today, Alex Ketchum. Your Porygon disobeyed you, your Rattata is weak, and your Squirtle won only because the speed of the spinning made Spearow bounce away. Had this been a real fight, you would have lost badly." She looked at the victorious trainer contemptuously and then melted away into the undergrowth. Alex stared open-mouthed after her, unable to think of a retort to the harsh words.

"She's wrong," Yui said quietly, coming forwards from the path's edge at last. "Your Porygon may have disobeyed you, but getting your Squirtle to spin like that was genius."

"I don't even know where the idea came from," Alex admitted, checking Squirtle's shell for scratches before recalling it. "It just sort of popped into my head."

"It's simple, isn't it?" Yui asked. "You've just inherited your Dad's battling techniques, that's all." Alex appraised her friend and then broke out into a warm smile.

"Thank you, Yui; that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day," she said. "I just... who is that Aeris, and how does she know me?"

"Have you ever met her before?" Yui asked.

"No," Alex said quickly. "I've never met her before in my life, but... the name sounds familiar, for some reason," she said softly, her eyes staring off into the distance. Then she gave herself a mental shake and turned back to her friend. "Well... shall we keep going then?"

"Okay," Yui nodded, a slight smile on her face. "I've never been to Viridian City before; I wonder what it's like." Alex shrugged.

"I've been there once before, but I can't really remember it," she admitted. "It's supposed to be... urgh!"

"Alex, what is it?" Yui asked in concern as her friend leapt several feet to the side, a comical expression frozen on her face.

"There's a bug on your back!" she managed to get out, trying to calm down. She gave a rueful grin as Yui, curious, twisted her head around to look at her bag. "Sorry," she said, "I'm not afraid of bugs, it just caught me by surprise. That's all."

"Aww, it's just a little Weedle," Yui smiled, reaching out a hand for it to crawl on. Alex looked around nervously as Yui let the bug-type run up and down her arms, giggling at the tickling sensation it produced.

"You might want to put it down, Yui," Alex cautioned. "Where there's a Weedle there are bound to be some Beedrill too. wW don't want them to start chasing us; I hear those stingers can really hurt!"

"Okay, I get it," Yui said, picking up the little Pokémon and putting it in the bushes at the side a little sadly. "Be careful, Weedle," she called, stepping away. "Don't let the Pidgey or Pidgeotto find you!"

"Weedle, weeeeedle," it squealed, working its way out of the bushes and trying to follow her. "Weedle wee!"

"What's it doing?" Alex asked, and Yui knelt down to look it in the eye appraisingly.

"It... it was crossing the path when we passed it without noticing," she said slowly, brief, almost indistinct little images forming in her mind as she gazed at the Weedle. "There was fire... the Houdour attack. We jumped to the side and I accidentally kicked it away. Oh dear, I'm sorry! I hope I didn't hurt you," she said in concern.

"Wee," the Weedle denied, twisting its head to show her the slightly singed hairs on its back, and Yui gasped.

"Oh, I get it!" she said. "The fire attack was going to hit the Weedle, but I saved it from that by kicking it!"

"How are you doing that?" Alex gasped.

"Doing what?" Yui asked.

"You're reading that Pokémon's mind!" Alex demanded.

"I'm not," Yui protested, flushing slightly. "Look at the hairs on its back, they're singed. What else could have caused that?"

"Hmm," Alex said dubiously. "Well, so long that it's okay now... so what exactly does it want?" The Weedle climbed onto Yui's legs and made its way to her waist where it promptly head butted one of her Pokéballs and vanished in a flash of red light.

"I think it wants to come with us," Yui said, giggling at the dumbstruck expression on her friend's face.


	8. Kluke

**Yeah, it's been a while. I won't promise that I'm back; the last few years have been hell, and I've made no more progress on this (or any other) story than I did the last time I updated. But I've had this and a couple of other chapters sitting finished on my harddrive for a long time; so I figured I may as well update with what I do have done. Who knows, maybe it'll get me back into the swing of it?**

* * *

"Yui! Look!" Alex called excitedly. "It's Viridian City!" Scooping Eevee up in her arms, Yui increased her pace until she was standing next to her friend on the edge of the forest, gazing down at the spread of civilization before them.

"It's so big," she whispered, feeling a little awestruck, and Alex laughed.

"Of course it's big, it's a city!" she responded. "Come on, let's go; I want to challenge the Gym!"

"You go ahead," Yui said, shaking her head slightly. "I can't remember the last time I was near so many people. I... I want to get a bit used to it first."

"Okay, but it means you'll miss seeing me win my first badge!" Alex grinned, racing off. "I'll meet you at the Pokémon Centre!" she called back over her shoulder. Yui watched her friend until she was almost out of sight before turning back to the trees and holding out an arm, gripping Eevee securely with the other. Her Weedle climbed down from the branches and onto her arm, causing her to giggle as its many feet tickled her skin.

"Come on," she said, once Weedle was curled comfortably on her shoulder, "we may as well start moving down or Alex will have challenged the Gym and arrived at the Pokémon Centre before we even get there." Smiling at her friends, she began to stroll down towards Viridian City at a leisurely pace, stopping every now and then to enjoy a ray of sunlight or a cool breeze on her face. She touched her face gingerly, feeling the half-healed scars that marked them. She was glad to finally be free, and have the pleasure to enjoy a day like this.

Alex rounded the corner at speed, dashing towards the ornate pillars which marked the Gym's entrance. Her heart, already racing at a considerable speed from her exertions, began to pump even more rapidly as the heavy wooden door came into sight. She stretched out her arm, ready to grasp the handle, and her foot caught on a protruding paving stone, sending her flying into the steps. The impact jolted the breath from her body, and she crumpled into a heap at their base.

"Ow," she moaned.

"Hey, are you alright?" a voice called. Slowly she turned her head and saw a girl, about the same age as herself, standing on the path, only a few feet away.

"I got here first; I'm challenging the Gym Leader," Alex mumbled around a split lip, and the girl laughed.

"I'm not here for the Gym, but if you're determined to be the first to challenge the leader you'll be here for quite a while," she said, striding forwards. "Here, let me help you up; are you hurt? That was quite the fall!"

"Uh, thanks," Alex said, appraising the girl as she was pulled to her feet. She looked to be about the same height as Yui, and a little shorter than Alex. Her hair, a stunning blend of red and brown, was pulled into a tight ponytail at the back save for a long tuft which dangled across her right eye. She was perhaps a little older than Alex, but not by more than a few months. Her green eyes sparkled in a way that made her seem both open and approachable. Alex liked her immediately.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"You said I'd be waiting here for a while. Why's that?"

"Well I was here earlier for a battle myself but the Gym Leader, Agatha, wasn't here. I asked at the Pokémon Centre and the Nurse Joy told me that the Gym's been closed for a while. Agatha has an Elite Four match coming up soon, so she's training hard for it in the wilderness. She hasn't been in town for a month so there's no Gym leader right now, and there won't be until she's had her battle."

"You mean the Gym Leader is challenging the Elite Four?" Alex asked in awe. The girl laughed.

"Silly!" she said. "Haven't you ever heard of Agatha? She _is_ one the Elite Four! One of the strongest too; nobody has beaten her in an Elite Four match since Ash Ketchum did it almost ten years ago."

"So if she's so strong, why is she a Gym Leader too?" Alex asked, trying to disregard the comment made about her father – how embarrassing that she didn't know he was the last person to beat Agatha! – and the girl shrugged.

"Dunno," she said. "I've heard that she was just a temporary leader a few years ago while they waited for the next one to take over. But he never arrived, and they've had trouble finding a new leader ever since. Needless to say, almost nobody has won the Earth Badge in all of that time."

"I bet I could beat her," Alex said, and the girl laughed again.

"You! Please," she said with a sly smile. "How many badges do you have?"

"Well... none yet," Alex admitted. "I only just got my first Pokémon from Professor Oak."

"And you think you can beat Agatha when you've only just started?"

"Well... how many badges do you have?" she asked challengingly, trying to turn the tables.

"Three down, five to go," the girl answered. "But," she added, forestalling Alex's next comment, "I didn't come here expecting to win; I just wanted to test my strength against a good opponent and see how far I've progressed."

"Well why don't you try it against me?" Alex asked, reaching towards the Pokéballs at her waist. "Two-on-two?"

"Sure, why not; it's been a while since I got an easy win," the girl replied, grinning.

"Ohh, you'll regret saying that when I've beaten you!" Alex shouted. "Rattata, go!"

"Shuckle, you're up!" the girl cried, and a curious creature that appeared to be a yellow worm inside a red and white shell appeared.

The two trainers eyes each other warily, waiting for the other to make the first move. Alex broke first.

"Rattata, Quick Attack!" she ordered.

"Shuckle, Withdraw!" the girl countered, and the attack glanced away harmlessly. "Excellent," the girl said happily as Rattata bounced back with a dazed expression; "Now use Encore!"

"Shuk," the Shuckle agreed, poking its head and limbs outside of its shell and beginning to applaud the Rattata enthusiastically, a thin golden light shining around its body.

_What the heck does that move do?_ Alex wondered. _Oh well, it doesn't matter_; "Rattata, use Bite!" she called.

"Shuckle, Withdraw!" the girl ordered again. Rattata charged straight for the Shuckle, its mouth wide open and revealing several sharp little teeth. Then, only a foot from impact, its body was covered with that same golden light, the mouth snapped shut, and it crashed into the heavy shell head-first again. It reeled back, eyes slightly unfocused, and Alex looked on in worry.

"What's the matter Rattata; why won't you use the attack I ordered?" she called.

"Encore is a move that forces the opponent to repeat the same attack," the girl responded, folding her arms across her chest confidently. "No matter what technique you tell your Rattata to use, only Quick Attack will actually work."

"We'll see about that," Alex growled. "Rattata, try using Tail Whip!" The little normal-type ran forward again, wagging its tail furiously; the same golden glow flashed from its fur and the hapless Pokémon cracked into Shuckle's shell once again. It collapsed to the ground, knocked senseless from three head-shots in a row.

"Rattata!" Alex said in shock.

"I told you," the girl said calmly. "You should have listened; now your Rattata is out and my Shuckle hasn't even taken any damage."

"But you didn't even attack! How can Rattata be out if your Shuckle didn't do anything?"

"Sometimes the simplest attack can be the most beneficial," the girl responded. Alex gritted her teeth as she recalled her downed Pokémon, her mind racing as she tried to figure out a way to beat that Shuckle. Her attacks were useless if they couldn't penetrate through that thick shell... Of course. She almost smiled as a strategy emerged fully-formed. The shell!

"Squirtle, let's go!" she shouted, and the water-type burst forth in the now familiar blaze of red light, looking at the girl and her Shuckle confidently.

"A Squirtle," the girl said, raising an eyebrow. "Interesting... very interesting. Go on then, make your move, girl!"

"My name isn't 'girl', its Alex; and if you don't want to attack then I will! Squirtle, use Water Gun!"

"Shuckle, Withdraw!' the girl rapped out, and once again her Pokémon was hidden safely inside the confines of its shell.

"Aim inside the holes!' Alex yelled, and the girl gasped as she quickly realized her error.

"Hurry Shuckle, use Protect!" she ordered, and a green sphere burst into existence around the shell; the attack hit it and deflected harmlessly, the jet of water splintering into several thinner and much less powerful streams. Squirtle let up its attack and the green sphere faded from existence as the Shuckle cautiously poked its head outside of the shell.

"Water Gun again, but this time aim for the ground!" Alex called out.

"Withdraw just in case," the girl countered, trying to see Alex's plan. As the Shuckle's head vanished again, Squirtle's Water Gun shot forth; it hit the spot where shell met ground and the force of it was enough to raise the shell a few centimetres.

"Now run in and grab the shell!" Alex said, grinning, and Squirtle charged up to the helpless Shuckle, the water still gushing from its mouth. Squirtle grabbed the shell and, not needing any further instruction, lifted it so that it teetered along the ground on edge. One further nudge was all it needed, and the shell had been flipped over.

"Shuckle!" the girl gasped, stunned as her Pokémon emerged and tried to right itself; but to no avail. Before Alex could order another attack, the Shuckle had been recalled.

"Not a bad tactic," the girl grinned, reaching for another Ball at her waist, "but that kind of strategy won't work against my next Pokémon. Charmeleon, let's go!" Alex and Squirtle couldn't help themselves; they both gasped as they looked at the strong fire-type which stood before them.

"Hah, I've already beaten one fire-type today," Alex said confidently, recovering quickly from her shock. "That Charmeleon won't be a problem!" The girl just smirked in response.

"Squirtle, Water Gun again!" Alex called out, and the attack spewed forth powerfully.

"Flamethrower," the girl countered calmly, and a sizzling torrent of flames shot out. The two attacks collided and the heat of the fire evaporated the water, forcing Squirtle to leap for safety as the flames shot past its ear.

It was at that moment Alex realized she was in trouble.

"Starter vs. Starter; fire vs. water," the girl said, her eyes shining. "I've always wanted to have this battle! Charmeleon, use Slash!"

"Squirtle, Withdraw!" Alex shouted desperately, trying to borrow the girl's former tactics.

"That won't work on me!" the girl grinned. "Hit it into the air and use Flamethrower!" Using the power of the Slash, Charmeleon charged in as Squirtle tucked all its limbs inside the shell; the fire-type's claws scooped the shell and sent it flying twenty feet up, before it quickly unleashed another raging blast of its signature attack. In midair, Squirtle was helpless. The flames cascaded around the shell, and the air inside it began to bake. When Squirtle finally hit the ground, it was out for the count.

"Squirtle!" Alex gasped, running up to her beaten starter as the girl recalled her Charmeleon calmly, a smile forming on her face.

"Like I said; an easy win," she said, walking up to Alex, holding out her hand. "It was a good battle and you used some interesting tactics, but you've got to hit your opponent if you want to win. As it is you didn't land a single hit on either of my Pokémon, and neither of them went down."

"I beat your Shuckle," Alex said as she recalled Squirtle, rising to her feet and glaring at the girl, who raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't beat it, I recalled it," she said. "There is a difference."

"But it couldn't attack!" Alex spluttered. "You can't take it out of the fight and then put it in again."

"If you didn't want any substitutions, you should have said so at the beginning, not afterwards," the girl replied coolly. "You could have done the same with your Rattata after I used Encore to get rid of those effects, but you didn't."

"But... but..."

"Relax, it's just one battle, Alex," the girl laughed. "If you don't learn from the little losses, you won't know what to do when the battle is really important. You're a better trainer than you showed out there; your Squirtle could have beaten my Shuckle. Just keeping training!" Alex frustration quickly began to melt away with the girl's friendly advice, but she kept an injured air up.

"Fine," she huffed. "Next time we meet you'd better watch out, because I'll be the one sweeping you!"

"I'll look forward to it," the girl said with a wink. Then her expression turned more serious. "Take your Pokémon to the Pokémon Centre and get them healed," she advised. "They looked pretty tired to me when we were battling." Alex flushed as she remembered her battle against Aeris.

"Well, I had a battle earlier and I kinda forgot to heal them at the Pokémon Centre," she muttered in embarrassment, and the girl slapped her forehead.

"And you were going to challenge the Gym Leader?" she asked in disbelief. "You dummy! If you're battling for a badge you have to make sure that your Pokémon are 100%!"

"I'll keep that in mind next time," Alex said, pink in the face. "I'll, uh, I'll go and get them healed now." They walked down the path together in silence. When they reached the road Alex began looking around as if in the hope that there would be a sign pointing her in the direction.

"Follow me," the girl sighed, noticing the lost look on her face. A short time later they stood outside the Centre's doors and the girl bid her farewell.

"Where are you going next?" Alex asked curiously.

"Pewter City," the girl replied. "That's where the closest Gym is; you might want to try it too," she added, a smile hovering across her face. Alex nodded and watched as the girl tipped her another cheery wink and began to walk away.

"Hey!" Alex shouted after her, suddenly realizing something, and the girl turned around, one eyebrow raised inquisitively. "You already know my name, but I don't know yours. What is it?" she asked.

"Call me Kluke," the girl called back, raising an arm in farewell as she resumed her journey. Alex watched her for a moment before turning and walking into the Pokémon Centre. She took a quick glance around the lobby and quickly spotted Yui sitting one level down on a plush chair in the corner, sucking happily on a thick pink milkshake as she watched her Eevee and Weedle play on the table in front of her. Alex hastened over, walking down a short ramp to get to her.

"Oh, hi Alex," Yui said, looking up with a smile when she heard her friend's footsteps. "How did your Gym Battle go?"

"The leader wasn't there; out training or something like that," Alex replied, flopping down into a chair next to her, feeling suddenly weary. "Did you manage to find the Pokémon Centre okay?"

"Oh yes; I met this really nice woman as I walked into the city who showed me the way," Yui said. "We've been chatting most of the time you were gone, and she got me this drink too. She was here until only a minute or two ago; she had to make a call, but she'll be back soon. She said she really wanted to meet you."

"Huh? Why would she want to meet me?" Alex asked, confused.

"Oh, I've wanted to meet Ash Ketchum's daughter for a long time; it's been years since I last saw her," a soft voice said from the lobby railing just above them. Alex froze and turned slowly; she knew that voice. She had heard it so many times from watching her father's old battles that it was permanently ingrained in her mind.

"C-Cynthia!" she blurted out, seeing the tall, blond woman standing at the railing above their heads, a warm smile on her face.

"Hi again, Cynthia," Yui said, placing her empty glass on the table. "This is my friend Alex."

"But... but how do you know the Champion?" Alex stuttered, turning to Yui as Cynthia began to descend down the ramp towards them.

"Oh, is she the Champion?" Yui asked. "I didn't know."

"But you knew who my father was; how could you know about him and not know about Cynthia?"

"I dunno, my uncle never talked about her," Yui said, shrugging.

"And I'm not the Champion," Cynthia added, coming to a halt in front of them. "That honour still belongs to your father, Alex. I'm only a placeholder until the next one comes along." Transferring her gaze back to the woman, clad as ever in her favourite black, Alex immediately realized one very big difference between the Cynthia she'd seen in video and the Cynthia standing in front of her.

"How long are you going to be a placeholder with _that?_" she blurted out, unable to prevent herself from pointing. She cringed as Yui gave her a quick frown, but Cynthia merely smiled, draping her arms contentedly across her rather large belly as she sat in a chair opposite them with a sigh.

"Everyone deserves a little happiness," she said quietly.

"You're pregnant!" Alex said, once again saying the words without thinking. Cynthia smiled again.

"You're so much like your father; he always said the first thing that came into his mind too," she said, and Alex flushed. Nonetheless, the comparison to her father, the knowledge that she was in some ways like him, pleased her.

"How-" Alex began, and Cynthia forestalled her with a wave of her hand.

"A couple of months yet," she answered. "When the time comes my position will be handed back down to the Contest Master Wallace, since he was the Champion before me."

"Oh... I see," Alex said blankly, not quite sure what to say. She could hardly believe that Cynthia, one of her idols, was actually here and talking with her! And that she had actually wanted to meet her, a novice trainer! It was almost overwhelming.

"So, uh, what are you doing in Viridian City?" she managed to ask, trying to start a reasonable conversation.

"I'm actually on my way to visit your mother in Pallet Town," Cynthia responded. "It's been a while since I last saw her, so I thought it would be nice to catch up while I still can. I'm hoping to get there tomorrow." Alex took a quick glance through the window at the darkening sky.

"Will you be able to make it in time?" she asked dubiously. "It's not exactly a short walk, you know."

"Oh, easily," Cynthia said, drawing forth a Pokéball. "On Garchomp it'll barely take me an hour to get there." A sudden and loud yawn from Yui caused both of them to look over at the girl, and she blushed.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm just tired; it's been a really long day." She stood and stretched, gathering both Eevee and Weedle in her arms before turning back to Alex. "Are you coming?" she asked. "You won't know where the room is otherwise."

"Sure," Alex agreed, rising reluctantly from her comfortable chair. "It was really nice to meet you, Cynthia," she said.

"The pleasure was all mine," Cynthia smiled. "I hope to see you again soon; take care of yourselves on the road, girls."

"We will," they said simultaneously, waving goodbye as Yui led Alex up the ramp towards the sleeping quarters. Cynthia watched them go and sighed as she turned her gaze to her swollen belly.

"I hope, for your sake, that I'm wrong," she said softly.


	9. May's Worry

They ate silently, though it was not the result of an argument or a lack of things to talk about. No, they were simply enjoying their food. Or trying to...

"May, what's wrong?" Silver asked, raising his head from his food and realizing that her plate, which would normally have been emptied and refilled three times by now, was still full of the salad she had heaped onto it twenty minutes ago. Her fork merely traced patterns through the greens, and it looked as if very little of it had passed through her lips.

"Hm?" May asked, looking up to meet his gaze.

"Normally you'd be on your fourth helping, but you've barely touched your food!" Silver said. "When you of all people aren't eating, it's a pretty clear sign that something is worrying you."

"Oh, it's, err, ah...". She tore her gaze away from the earnest scarred face with its long, unruly mop of thick grey hair, trying to think of an answer. The ringing of the doorbell produced a reason for her to avoid answering the question for the time being, and she leapt up so quickly that she sent her chair skittering across the floor. Disregarding this, May hurried from the room. Silver sighed and returned to his food, stabbing a leaf moodily.

He looked up as May returned to the kitchen, looking rather flustered and followed by Cynthia.

"Cynthia! Good to see you again," he boomed, and she smiled at him in return as she joined him at the table.

"Silver, I'm glad you're here," she said. "I was hoping you'd be able to help me with something."

"Anything, though I don't know that I could tramp around the world again at my age," he responded, and Cynthia laughed.

"Silver, I can guarantee that you're just as healthy and energetic as you were twenty years ago. Don't worry though, it won't involve any travelling."

"Then what-" he began, and Cynthia winked conspiratively at him.

"Later," she whispered before returning her attention to May, who was hastily filling a plate for Cynthia. "This looks wonderful, May," she smiled. "I hope that Silver told you I was planning on coming?"

"Er, yes, he did... he didn't say when though," she added, giving the grey-haired giant a glare.

"I didn't know myself!" he protested. "Cynthia was as vague as ever when she told me she wanted to talk with you."

"I'm so sorry, May," Cynthia apologized. "I must have forgotten to tell him the date. Please don't go to any extra trouble just for me."

"It's no trouble at all, Cynthia; it's just a salad," May said, giving the former champion a smile as she brought over the plate and sat down with them. "Besides, I can tell you must have other things on your mind," she added, glancing towards her stomach. Cynthia merely smiled in response and began eating.

"Has there been any word of Rey yet?" Silver asked after a few moments, breaking the silence. Cynthia's eyes grew grave and she shook her head in the negative.

"No. Nothing," she answered. "She definitely arrived in Sinnoh; I spoke with several of the Gym leaders there, and they all remembered her. From the path she took, I'm guessing she was on her to Veilstone City when she vanished. It's been three years now since that happened. People are still looking, but nobody holds out much hope that she'll be found now." May's head bowed.

"Oh Rey," she whispered.

"Well... Anyways, Cynthia, tell us; what are you doing in Kanto?" Silver asked, changing the subject. "Tired of Sinnoh?"

"I wish," Cynthia answered, shaking her head. "Some of the most valuable Sinnoh artefacts are being brought over as part of a travelling exhibition. Even though I'm no longer the Champion – and despite my pregnancy – I've been assigned to guard the objects in the exhibit. They wanted a powerful trainer to ensure their safety, and since I'm the strongest in Sinnoh..." She let her sentence hang and shrugged. "Personally I think that Lucian could have done just as well, but they were insistent that I take the position."

"Do they really think that somebody is going to try and steal them after what happened last time?" May asked. Cynthia hesitated and had to momentarily prevent herself from looking around the room.

"Keep this quiet," she warned. "Nobody is supposed to know about it, but you are two of the most trustworthy people I know, and if anyone has a right to know..." She let the pause stretch on a beat longer than was necessary. "You see, we suspect that some elements of Team Galactic have returned. They've been pretty quiet for the last thirteen years or so but they were never completely disbanded, unlike Aqua, Magma, or Rocket; for a few years after Cyrus vanished they became a legitimate company, but..." She sighed.

"We never really thought they'd gone away for good, even though we'd hoped they had. I always suspected that they were using the business as a front while they regrouped and made plans for the future. Now it seems that my worst fears are reality; we don't know what exactly they want to do, but it may very well involve the Sinnoh artefacts. Hence why I've been assigned to protect them."

"Galactic," Silver muttered with revulsion. "And I used to think after my history with them that nothing could top the Rockets..." May unconsciously grabbed Cynthia's hand, and the former Champion winced at the pressure. She turned towards May, a sharp comment in her mouth, but it quickly died away when she saw the fear in her eyes.

"Galactic is in Kanto?" she managed to whisper, and Cynthia instantly understood her reaction. May had lost the man she loved, one of the strongest trainers in the world, to Team Rocket. Now her daughter, having only just started her own journey, was wandering the land with a group of merciless criminals on the loose. That, combined with Silver's comments about Galactic being worse than the ones who had caused Ash Ketchum's death...

"Alex will be fine, May," Cynthia said soothingly, returning the pressure to give her some reassurance. "Galactic are in Sinnoh; that's why we brought the exhibit here, to keep it safe. If Galactic are in Kanto and they are after the artefacts, then I will be there too. If by the miniscule chance that Alex happens to be there when they make their move, I will be able to protect her. And that's assuming that she visits any museums at all; it's very difficult for a travelling trainer to synchronize with the kind of hectic schedule we have planned out, even if they are aware of it."

"Alex doesn't have anyone!" May shouted, wrenching her hand from Cynthia's grip and standing so violently that she was almost dragged onto the floor. "Every second that I spend awake I think about her and worry. Everywhere I look, everything I see and do... it all makes me worry and think back..." Her voice broke. "I was nervous before she left. And then seeing her standing there on the path, carefree and unconcerned... It's a dangerous world out there and she doesn't have a clue! And then the incident with that bastard in the woods on her very first day..."

"May," Cynthia began, trying to choose her words as tactfully as possible, "I know that you are scared for her. It's natural considering what happened to Ash. But we all have to let go some time. Your daughter has finally begun her life. She needs this to learn and grow into the woman she will one day be. You can't protect her forever."

"I had Ash and Brock when I started," May said, her voice brittle and her body trembling with pent-up emotion. "They were both experienced trainers with strong Pokémon at their sides. There was nothing they couldn't handle, and I didn't have any worries because of that. But Alex doesn't have anyone to look after her, and she can be so pig-headed sometimes that I just know she's going to end up in some kind of trouble."

"She has Yui with her," Cynthia said softly. "I met her yesterday, May, and-" May looked towards her sharply.

"You saw her? Did you see Alex too? Tell me, please, how is she?" she begged.

"Alex is fine, May," Cynthia responded calmly. "They were both a little tired from the trip, but that's to be expected. I imagine they'll be on their way to Pewter City now, since it's the closest Gym that's open. I'm sure she'll stop in and say hello to Forrest and Dawn while she's there; if you like I can contact them and ask them to tell Alex to get in touch with you every now and then. As for Yui, I don't think I've ever met a sweeter or calmer person. She will keep your daughter in check."

"That's true, May," Silver agreed. "Besides, she'll have Pidgeot and Gallade to look after her too, remember? Pidgeot is following them by air, and Gallade can be with her in seconds if it senses something is wrong. I can't think of any person on the planet more protected than Alex is right now."

"Pidgeot and Gallade weren't able to stop the Ursaring attack," May whispered, clutching the edge of the table so tightly that her hands turned white. Then without warning she dropped to the floor, tears pouring from her eyes at all of the horrible memories. She couldn't help it; her body was no longer able to suppress all the pent-up emotion that had built up inside of her over the last decade. It all burst out at once, leaving her unable to do anything but cry for the loss, for the pain, for the happiness, and for the life that she could have and should have had.

Cynthia and Silver were at her side in seconds, the former Champion taking her hand and murmuring soothing words while the grey-haired giant held her close and rocked her silently against his chest. It was several minutes before her convulsing sobs eased enough for her to wipe her eyes with a napkin Cynthia pulled from the table.

"Come on, May," Silver murmured, pulling her easily to her feet and guiding her back into a chair before helping Cynthia up as well.

"I'm sorry," May whispered. "I... I shouldn't be burdening you with this…"

"No, May, you should," Cynthia said firmly. "You can't keep your emotions pent up forever; you have to let them out some time. What reason do you think we are your friends, if not to be there for you?"

"She's right, May," Silver nodded encouragingly. "Why are we here if you aren't going to shout at us? That's all we're good for! Well, all that I'm good for anyways." May gave a watery smile in response, wiping away the last of her tears with the napkin.

"May," Cynthia said presently, "have you thought about taking up Scott's offer of being a Frontier Brain? I passed over the Battle Colosseum on my way here; they've nearly finished rebuilding it. All they have left to do now is install the trainer boxes, plant some trees and grass-seed, and fill the reservoir. I think it would be good for you, to keep you busy and distracted." May nodded.

"You're right," she said, her voice slightly hoarse. "I think I'll go and call Scott now and... and tell him I'll take him up on the offer. Thanks." She stood up and left the room for the hallway phone. Silver looked at Cynthia and grinned.

"Way to get her back up on her feet, Champion," he said. "Now, what do you need my help for?" Cynthia smiled back at him.

"You've already given it," she said. "I needed you to help May relieve all of that emotion she's been building up, and help her to start getting her life back on track." She shook her head sadly. "It was a shock for all of us, losing Ash like that, but it affected May more deeply than anyone. Then Delia dying, and Latias vanishing, with that Ursaring attack thrown in to boot... is it any wonder that she's been so withdrawn, so miserable since then? She looks like a woman twice her age with all she's had to go through."

"You're twice May's age, and you're still beautiful," Silver pointed out.

"Idiot," she retorted, though inwardly she was quite pleased with the compliment. "I'm 38, not 56! That's nowhere near twice her age!" Silver grinned at her false indignation.

"I think training with her Pokémon again will remind her of just how strong they can be if their trainer is threatened," he said, suddenly changing the topic again. "She'll be so busy that she'll have less time to worry about Alex. And if her friend Yui is anything like you've described, I think that she'll be perfectly safe."

"You know, it's funny," Cynthia said thoughtfully. "That Yui... there's something strange about her."

"Strange? How so?" Silver asked.

"I don't know," Cynthia said slowly. "It's almost as if I've met her before."


	10. The Unbeatable Primeape!

It was a beautiful day in Viridian Forest; the sun shone through the thick branches overhead in such a manner that it cast a dappled pattern across the forest floor that was not unlike the coat of a newborn Stantler. A cool breeze blew softly among the leaves, bringing with it the delicious scent of a healthy and vibrant forest. A small stream burbled along next to the path, giving it the appearance of a green-and-blue haven. An unidentified bird flitted swiftly overhead with a leaf in her mouth, making her way to her nest. It was a perfect day to enjoy a long and peaceful stroll.

"Yui, run!" Alex screamed, her voice cracking with the terror as they crashed through the bushes, heedless of the beauty that lay about them, their wide eyes seeing only what was directly in front of them.

"I am running; your legs are longer than mine!" Yui managed to retort as she struggled to keep up with her taller friend. "What did you have to make them mad for?"

"I didn't know there was a horde of Kakuna stuck in there; I just thought it was a nice place for a rest!" Alex chanced a backwards glance and saw the massive swarm of Beedrill gaining on them quickly, not as encumbered in the air as the girls were on the ground.

"I know!" she shouted suddenly, fumbling at her waist and drawing out a Pokéball. "Porygon, go! Attack!" she ordered.

"Gon..." Porygon droned, its eyes nearly closed as it hovered disinterestedly above their heads. Until it was stung in the rear by two maddened Beedrill, that is. At that point it tore off after the girls, moving far more quickly than the maddened bug-types.

"Porygon, finally!" Alex laughed in relief, reaching her arms up in the air as she prepared to be swept away to safety. A bolt of electricity swept through her body instead as the Pokémon zapped her in its bad temper, sending her flying into the bushes with her hair standing on end. "I meant attack the Beedrill, not me!"

"Alex!" Yui screamed, reaching her fallen friend and trying to pull her to her feet.

"P-Porygon, return," Alex said rather dazedly, recalling the disobedient normal-type. "Sq-Squirtle, I ch-"

"It's too late for that," Yui yelled, closing her eyes and wincing. "Oh, this is going to hurt!" There was a moment's pause and then several angry and pained cries of "Speee!" Yui couldn't help it; she opened her eyes and was stunned at what she saw. A huge man had stepped from the trees and now stood protectively in front of them. His short brown hair curled upwards in an unusual style, and his arms were so thick that she wouldn't have been surprised if the Beedrill stingers just glanced right off.

But he was not even involved in the fight; a ferocious looking Primeape was the one beating off the Beedrill, throwing punches that were so fast they went almost unseen. Each time the aim was dead on, and each time the Beedrill was taken down in just one blow. Shaking off the effects of the electricity Alex watched with her friend in growing awe. She knew instinctively that this Primeape was an incredibly powerful fighter, possibly even able to hold its own against her Dad's Gallade for a time.

It was all over in seconds. The few Beedrill that hadn't been knocked flew off glumly, hastening back to the nest in case any predators tried to attack while they were gone.

"Great job, Primeape," the man called and Alex started; his voice was surprisingly high and nasally for a man of his size. "You two girls alright?" he asked, turning to them.

"Y-yes, thanks," Yui stammered as he drew a red towel from around his neck and handed it to the Primeape to wipe itself down. "How did... how did you..?"

"I was meditating in the bushes wid my Primeape when you two came running past," he said. "I gotta say, dat Porygon of yours sure has a powerful Shock Wave, girl; pity you can't control it yet."

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" Alex demanded, flushing slightly.

"Well normally when a trainer's got themselves a disobedient Pokémon, they try to work with it in a calm and controlled situation. Dey don't normally use it when they're being chased by a swarm of angry Beedrill," he chuckled.

"Are you saying I can't control my Pokémon?" Alex yelled, getting angry with his slightly condescending tone.

"Not all of dem, just dat one," the man replied. "Mind, I haven't seen you wid the others, so maybe it is all of them." He chuckled again. 'Boy, you shoulda seen dis Primeape's first's trainer. They got along 'bout as well as you and your Porygon!"

"Ohh, that's it! I challenge you to a battle! Nobody makes fun of me like that!" Alex shouted. The man looked startled.

"Now wait, I wasn't making fun of you, girl," he said, trying to appease her. "I was just saying you need to train a bit more, dat's all. Besides, dere's no way you could beat my Primeape. It wouldn't be a fair fight."

"Are you too scared to fight me then?" Alex taunted.

"Alex, this isn't a good idea," Yui murmured to her. "He did just save our lives; you shouldn't be so rude to him."

"He's the one being rude to me!" Alex said, giving her an incredulous look. The man shook his head and sighed.

"If dat's what you really want then I'll give you a battle, but don't be too surprised when you get beat," he said. "Primeape, take them down."

"Prime!" the pig-monkey agreed, dancing forwards and shooting out a flurry of punches to warm up.

"Rattata, let's go!" Alex shouted, and the small normal-type materialized on the ground in front of her.

"You're sending out a Rattata against a Primeape?" the man asked, astonished. "Don't you know that's a terrible match-up? Normal-types are weak to fighters!"

"Rattata, Quick Attack!" Alex shouted, ignoring him.

"Karate Chop," the man said, sounding bored. The two attacks connected and Rattata was sent flying backwards, rolling to a halt at Alex's feet.

"...One attack?" Yui murmured to herself.

"Good job, Rattata, return. Porygon, let's go! Use Shock Wave!" It did. Quite happily as a matter of fact.

"Dat must have hurt," the man winced, fanning away the smoke that rose from Alex's body as her Porygon lazily drifted off.

"I-I'm fine," she whispered. "P-Porygon, return." She pocketed the Pokéball, her pride hurt more than anything else, and turned to the last Pokémon in her arsenal. "Go, Squirtle! Use Tackle!" she ordered.

"Karate Chop," the man countered again. It was the Rattata battle all over again; Squirtle fell at Alex's feet, knocked down in just one blow.

"Squirtle," Alex gasped, dropping to her knees as she picked up her beaten starter.

"Are we done yet?" the man asked almost pleadingly.

"No way," Alex growled. "Yui! Send out one of your Pokémon!"

"Wh-what?"

"Just do it!" Alex yelled.

"Oh, um, okay. Eevee, come on out!"

"Vui," Eevee cooed as it turned and smiled sweetly at its trainer.

"Now what?" Yui asked Alex. The girl almost fell over.

"Tell it to attack! Get it to use Tackle or something!"

"Oh, okay. Umm, Eevee, use Tackle!" Yui said nervously.

"Karate Chop again, Primeape," the man sighed. Yui watched with bated breath, clenching her hands nervously as she watched the two Pokémon race towards one another.

"No, wait!" she yelled. "Stop!"

"What's wrong?" the man asked as both Eevee and Primeape came skidding to a halt. Yui raced over to her Pokémon, picking it up carefully.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I can't do it. I don't want my friend getting hurt." Alex snorted, but the man nodded approvingly.

"Dat's de way to do it," he said. "No use taking on an opponent if you can't possibly win." He jerked his head as he turned to leave. "Come on Primeape, we're finished here," he called.

The Primeape didn't move. It just stood there in the centre of the path, staring at Alex with large rounded eyes that were filled with tenderness instead of the customary rage.

"Primeape, didn't you hear me? Let's go!" the man called.

"Prr," Primeape answered, slowly shaking its head. The man stared at it and then followed its gaze towards Alex. He looked at her hard for a moment and then gasped.

"Hey, girl," he said, advancing on her. "You look awful familiar to me but I swear I've never seen you before. What's your name?"

"Alex Ketchum," she responded, meeting his gaze slowly. "What's yours?" The man seemingly didn't hear her; instead he stared at her in near disbelief.

"Daughter of Ash Ketchum?" he asked, and nodded. "Of course, dat makes sense..." he mused. "You look a lot like him, and you've got his same determination. And the same kind of mouth too!" He looked at her a moment longer before continuing. "I told you dat dis Primeape wasn't mine to begin with. Another trainer gave it to me once a long time ago, hoping it could become the strongest Primeape ever under my guidance." He took a brief breath and then went on.

"Dis Primeape used to be your Dad's Pokémon, Alex. It was one of the first Pokémon he ever captured. He left it with me after it won a tournament, and not long after he gained its trust. Like I said, they got along about as well as you and your Porygon." He looked at her another moment and then turned away. "He was a good man, your Dad. The world is dimmer because of his loss. I'm proud to know that I once knew and fought against him." He sighed. "Time to go, Primeape."

The pig-monkey wrenched its gaze away from a thoroughly shocked Alex and looked beseechingly at Anthony, its trainer. Hesitantly, the fighting-type took one step towards the girl. Anthony looked it in the eye and sighed sadly. Though it went against what he wanted, he knew that there was only one thing he could do. He'd always intended to give it back to Ash one day, before his death, and now here in front of him was Ash's daughter, and Primeape wanted to be with her. Reluctantly, he reached for a Pokéball at his waist and tossed it towards the girl.

"Here," he said gruffly. "Primeape's Pokéball. It's yours now. Your father only leant it to me, so I suppose I might as well give it back now that I've been given the opportunity. Took good care of it; that Pokémon's been a good friend of mine." He gave a brief nod towards a stunned Alex and a happy Primeape before turning and walking back through the forest.

"Did what I think just happen actually happen?" Alex asked Yui hoarsely.

"I think so," Yui said with a smile, bending down to look at Primeape more closely. "I think we've got ourselves a new friend! Primeape, are you going to be with us the whole journey?" she asked.

"Primeape!" the pig-monkey nodded, flexing its arms enthusiastically.

"Well let's go then!" Yui laughed, clambering to her feet as Eevee jumped onto her shoulder. "I bet Alex can't wait to find out just what you can do!"


	11. A Surprise Reunion

"Here you go; your Pokémon are as good as new," Nurse Joy smiled, passing over the tray with four Pokéballs inside.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Alex said, taking the tray gratefully. "I'm not making the same mistake again; this time my Pokémon will be ready when I battle!"

"That's a smart decision," Joy laughed before turning to Yui. "How about you; would you like your Pokémon healed too?"

"Oh, no thanks," Yui said brightly. "They're both fine at the moment; I've been taking good care of them."

"Well if you take as good care of them as you have been doing, I don't think you'll ever need to check them in for a serious recovery," Joy said, looking at the Eevee Yui held in her arms. She had to admit, she couldn't remember ever seeing an Eevee with such a well-brushed and glossy coat before, and its eyes sparkled with both health and happiness.

"Thanks again, Nurse Joy!" Alex called, racing towards the exit. "Come on Yui, let's go the Gym!"

"Hey, wait for me!" Yui said, hurrying after her friend.

"Thank you for coming, and good luck!" Nurse Joy shouted after them.

It was only a short distance from the Pewter City Pokémon Centre to the Gym. Alex tore on ahead eagerly, heedless of the crowd she was forced to dodge on her way. She saw the Gym ahead, took the final corner sharply, tripped over one of the many large decorative rocks in front, and went sprawling painfully on the gravel path.

"Ow," she said, more as an automatic reaction than from any actual pain.

"Twice in two Gyms... unbelievable," a voice sighed. Alex craned her neck upwards and saw a familiar looking girl with laughing green eyes and a stunning mix of red and brown hair tied into a tight ponytail looking down at her.

"Oh. Hi," she said, feeling distinctly embarrassed.

"Um, hello," Yui said shyly from the foot of the path, and Kluke looked over at the new arrival in surprise.

"Oh, hi," she said. "Are you here to challenge the Gym too? You might be a bit late; I've already battled the Leader today and Alex," she pointed out the fallen girl by tapping her shoe against the side of her head, "is next in line."

"Oh no, I'm not here to challenge!" Yui said hastily, taking a step backwards. "I'm Alex's friend. I've been travelling with her and came to cheer her on."

"Hey, aren't either of you going to help me up?" Alex shouted.

"No," both girls replied. "You've got legs," Kluke added.

"Gee, thanks," Alex said, climbing to her feet huffily.

"Umm... My name is Yui," the blonde-haired girl said, holding out her hand.

"And I'm Kluke," the other said, taking it with a smile. "So, Alex; given what happened the last time we fought, are you sure that you'll be able to beat the Gym leader?" she asked, turning her attention back to the taller girl.

"Of course," she replied, brushing the dirt from her clothes. "Did you beat him?"

"Check it out," Kluke said, proudly displaying her badge case; inside were four shiny tokens of victory. "It was close, but I beat him in the end; Charmeleon, Shuckle, and Tangela really came through for me. You might have trouble though; his Pokémon are unbelievably tough."

"I'll manage; probably do better than you did!" Alex retorted. "One hit each and they'll all go down!"

"Are you talking about the Gym Leaders Pokémon or yours?" Kluke asked innocently. Alex glowered at her while Yui tried to stifle a laugh.

"Well now, what's all this? Not arguing outside the Gym I hope?" a woman asked, walking from around the side of the building with a watering can in hand. All three girls spun around startled, and then a wide grin split across Alex's face.

"Aunt Dawn!" she shouted running forwards and throwing a hug around the woman.

"Hello, Alex; it's been a while, hasn't it?" the blue haired Coordinator smiled. "And let me guess; you're Yui?" she asked, looking around the group and spotting the blonde-haired girl.

"Um, yes, but uh, but how did-"

"Oh, that's easy; Brock told me about you two and asked me to keep an eye out for you," she smiled before turning to Kluke. "That was an excellent victory; you should be proud of yourself. I can't remember the last time Forrest was so excited after a match. That was the best battle he's had in a long time."

"Uh, thanks..." Kluke said, trailing off in confusion. Perhaps Dawn spotted this, because she smiled again and beckoned the three of them to follow her. "Uh, Alex; how do you know this woman?" she whispered in an undertone.

"Yeah, and how does she know Brock?" Yui added.

"Simple; she's my aunt," Alex said with a grin. "She's my Dad's half-sister. As for how Brock knows her, well he used to be the Gym Leader here but when he went travelling with my Dad he gave the position to his brother, Uncle Forrest." She let that sink in for a moment.

"You mean you're related to a Gym Leader?" Kluke yelped.

"Yep; and I know all of his Pokémon," Alex grinned. "I've already got my strategy figured out because I know what his weakness is."

"It still won't be an easy battle," Kluke warned. "I mean, look at the odds; I'm a much more experienced trainer than you, and I barely beat him."

"Don't worry," Alex said, her eyes fixed on Dawn. "I know exactly what I'm going to do."

"So Alex, I'm guessing you're going to challenge Gyms like your Dad if you're here for a battle. Why don't you want to be a Coordinator like your Mom and me?" Dawn asked teasingly.

"Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what I want to do," Alex said. "I was thinking of starting off with a mixture of the two and then seeing which one I liked best." She twisted a little uncomfortably while Dawn scrutinized her; her aunt had always been good at telling when she was hiding the truth. And the truth was, though she was excited at the prospect of both, neither Gyms nor Contests were something she was particularly interested in. Could the Coordinator tell that her goal lay elsewhere?

"I see," Dawn said slowly, still looking at the girl keenly. Alex began to fidget with nervousness under her gaze. "Well, there's a Festival in Cerulean City going on at the moment," she began, finally tearing her eyes away from her niece. "It ends with a Contest in a week's time, and a special exhibition match between the Battle Frontier Brains Brandon and Palmer. Since there's a Gym in Cerulean City it might be something you want to check out; you'll get to try both of them at the same time that way.

"How about you, Kluke?" she asked then.

"Oh, me?" Kluke said, startled. "Well, I'm a Gym challenger. Contests have never really interested me that much. I've already got four badges so I'm halfway to the League now."

"And what about you-"

"Aunt Dawn," Alex interrupted hesitantly.

"Yes, Alex?"

"I was wondering... well... what was my Dad like?" she asked, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Hasn't May told you about him?" Dawn asked gently.

"I... well... sometimes," she admitted. "But only when I really asked her and wouldn't let it drop. She always looked really upset and only told me about what he did. I know all about his accomplishments, but not about who he actually was."

"You asked Brock and Holly about this too, didn't you?" Dawn said shrewdly, and Alex gave another embarrassed nod.

"Her father's dead?" Kluke whispered quietly to Yui.

"It's a long story," Alex said pointedly, overhearing her, and Kluke turned a faint shade of pink, accepting that Alex didn't want to talk to her about his death just yet.

"Well... he was a great friend," Dawn said softly, her eyes lost in the past. "All my memories of him are of the encouragement he unfailingly gave after each Contest loss, of how much he cared for his friends and his Pokémon, of the efforts he went to when helping others. I remember when we met, he'd lost his Pikachu. I found it and took it to the nearest Pokémon Centre. That was where we first met, and we were friends from that moment on. We were always close, like brother and sister really." She sighed. "I didn't even find out we were related until Silver let it slip. Can you imagine what those odds are? Travelling together for all that time with a person from a different region and all the while not knowing that you're siblings?

"And then I lost him," she said softly. "The same day I found out that I had a brother, he was gone. Can you imagine what that feels like, gaining something so important to you and then losing it so quickly? All my life I'd only had my mother until Ash and Brock came along. I gained a brother and then lost him. And there was nothing I could do to save him, nothing to help him at all." She wiped away several unshed tears and looked at Alex, her eyes bright.

"Do you know what the last thing I said to him was?" she asked softly. "I told him that our lives weren't over; that we'd all live to see it through." She shook her head, trying hard to restrain the emotion that threatened to overwhelm her.

"I'm sorry," Alex said, and it was then that Yui and Kluke realized her eyes were as watery as Dawn's. "Please, don't go on. I'm sorry I asked, I... I didn't mean to..." Dawn cut her off.

"You want to know who he was, Alex?" she said. "Just ask yourself; what kind of person would do what he did? It tells you the kind of character he had, about the person he was. You are a lot like him in many ways. You share his impulsiveness, his desire for action, his impatience, his pigheadedness, and I can only assume his appetite. But you also have his caring, compassionate side. You want to know who he was? Just look inside yourself; you already know the answer."

Alex nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She was almost relieved when the front door of the little cottage opened and Forrest stumped inside.

"Ah. Hello," he said, recognition lighting his face as he spotted Alex and Kluke.

"Hello," Kluke said rather shyly for her usual outgoing manner; she was not used to being invited to a Gym Leader's home.

"Back from the Pokémon Centre?" Dawn asked, rising to meet him with a smile.

"Yep," Forrest nodded, embracing her briefly before sitting down in the last available chair. "I'll be picking them up tomorrow morning, so they'll get a good rest before the first challenger tomorrow. Speaking of which, that was an excellent battle today, Kluke," he added. "I'm looking forward a lot to fighting you again some time!"

"Thanks," she grinned, her nerves easily dispelled by his friendly manner.

"Well I'm ready to challenge you, Uncle Forrest!" Alex said, finally finding her voice and glad that it wasn't shaking. "It'll be my first Gym Battle, and I'm ready when you are!"

"I'm sorry, Alex," he apologized, "but like I said, all my Pokémon are at the Pokémon Centre right now. They're tired out after all the battling they've done. It wouldn't be a fair fight at all. How does tomorrow morning sound though?"

"I guess that'll work," Alex sighed, disappointed, and Forrest chuckled.

"It's good to meet you too, Yui," he said, surprising the girl. "Brock told me about you. How's your Eevee doing?"

"She's very well," Yui beamed, presenting the Pokémon to the Gym Leader. "Isn't she sweet?"

"Vui," Eevee cooed, and it took a lot of effort from everyone to not drop their jaws and sigh "_aww._"

"It's getting dark," Dawn noticed suddenly. "Do you girls need a place to spend the night? We've got lots of room."

"That'd be great, thanks," Alex said gratefully, and Yui nodded her thanks too. Kluke, however, declined.

"It's very nice of you to offer, but I've got a room booked at the Pokémon Centre," she explained. "I've already left some stuff in there, so I'd rather just stay there. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh no, not at all," Dawn said with a smile. "If I don't see you again before you leave, I hope that you have a very successful journey, Kluke."

"Thank you, Dawn," she said, smiling back as she stood to leave. "I'll see you guys around later," she added to Alex and Yui.

"Bye Kluke!" Yui piped while Alex merely waved. "It was nice to meet you!"

"And you," she smiled, closing the front door gently behind her.

"You two might as well be off to bed as well," Forrest added. "You'll need a good night's sleep if you're going to challenge me tomorrow!"

"You're right, Uncle Forrest," Alex said, giving him a quick hug before following Dawn upstairs to the guest rooms. "You better get rested up too; I'll be raring to go!" Forrest laughed again as Yui hastened up the stairs after her friend, giving him a smile of thanks as she passed.

None of them noticed the dark figure hidden within the shadows outside, watching their every move.


	12. Alex's First Gym Battle

The cackling laughter of the insane inmates around him broke through his thoughts more effectively than the highest-pitched whine ever could. He gritted his teeth as he was led past the cells that contained them, struggling to maintain his usual icy demeanour.

Of course, not all of the inmates were raving. No, most were simply quiet, forever trapped in the deepest morass of their mind. Like the man who now lay in front of him as he peered through the bars, staring blankly at the wall. Every now and then he'd give a sudden shake, or a curt order. It was impossible to decipher what he was saying through the reinforced glass.

"Eh, what did you say your relation to him was?" asked the doctor who had brought him this far. "You see, we normally only allow immediate family members to visit the inmates."

"I am in charge of his estate, Dr. Ukiyo," the man said smoothly. "I understand that it has been many years since he was placed under your care, but it has taken this long to find a living relative who, ah, fits the criteria of his wishes. Now that a competent and sane heir has been found I had to come down and see first-hand that he remains unfit to run his own affairs."

"I see," Dr. Ukiyo said, straightening his spectacles. "And are you satisfied that this is the case? If need be we can run an assessment..."

"No, thank you, Doctor," the man responded. "There is no need for you to delay your rounds any further; I will see myself out." Ukiyo nodded and continued down the corridor. The man watched him leave and then turned his attention back to the wasted individual who had once been such a powerful and imposing figure.

"Father," he whispered, flicking a violet lock of hair from his eyes. _I won't rest until I've evened the score. I'll get them back for what they did to you._

* * *

"Eevee," Yui called. "Eevee! Where are you?" She wandered around the gardens behind the Gym, looking for her Pokémon, who had suddenly decided to go for a stroll among the flowers as she and Alex made their way to the Gym.

"Weedle, weedle," Weedle called from its position on Yui's shoulder.

"Any luck, Yui?" Alex called from another bed.

"Not yet," Yui said, shaking her head. "Eevee! _Eevee!_"

"Hey, over here!" a voice she didn't know called. She turned quickly and saw a tall thin man with long blue hair, a few shades lighter than Dawn's, approaching with an Eevee in hand.

"Eevee! There you are!" she shouted, running forwards eagerly. Eevee leapt from the man's arms and ran over to her with a happy cry of "Vui!"

"Yui, did you find her?" Alex called, rushing over at the sound of the Pokémon's cry.

"No, this nice man did," Yui said, holding Eevee tightly and nuzzling it on the top of the head, tickling its ears with her nose.

"Oh. Hello, James," she said rather coldly, coming to a halt at the sight of the trainer.

"Hello, Alex," he said nervously, his smile faltering slightly under her gaze.

"So you're still working here? No Pokémon have gone missing?" The man sighed.

"I've reformed, Alex," he said. "I've been straight for over a decade now. When Team Rocket collapsed I had nowhere else to go. Your Aunt and Uncle took me in as the groundskeeper, and I'm eternally grateful to them both for doing so. I'll never do anything to hurt either of them; they've given me something that nobody else ever did; a fresh start at my life. Because of them I have a job, a home, and now even a license for judging Pokémon competitions." Alex's eyes widened.

"You mean..?" she began.

"That's right," James smiled. "I'm now an official Pokémon League referee and I was stationed here at the Pewter Gym. That means that I'll be the one judging your battle today."

"Hmm," Alex said doubtfully. "Well if Auntie Dawn and Uncle Forrest trust you that much then I guess I should too."

"Thank you, Alex," James said, sighing with relief inside. "Well, shall we go on to the Gym?"

They walked in silence round the sound of the building, Yui trailing behind Alex and James and shooting them both curious looks as they moved uncomfortably next to each other. At the front doors they got another shock, for standing outside waiting for them was Kluke.

"I thought I might as well see your first real Gym Battle," she explained when Alex shot her a questioning look. "I mean, I might as well size up my competition, right?"

"Right," Alex nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. The enormity of the challenge was suddenly spread out before her. Here she was, a brand new and inexperienced trainer, taking on a powerful and established Gym Leader. She gulped, trying to swallow the fear.

Dawn was already waiting inside. She beckoned Yui and Kluke over to the spectator stand while giving Alex an encouraging smile. "It's good to see you again so soon, Kluke," she said when the girls had settled down next to her.

"Well if Alex and I keep running into each other like this, we'll be rivals in no time," she laughed. "I might as well get a grip on the competition, right? Besides," she added, "I'd like to see firsthand how she does. I think that this could be a really good battle."

"That wouldn't surprise me at all; but Alex may have trouble, even though she knows what Pokémon Forrest is likely to use. He's bound to use that knowledge against her," Dawn cautioned. "Even though this is a rock Gym, we've got Pokémon that aren't of that type. She won't have an easy time."

"This Gym Battle is between the Pewter City Gym Leader, Forrest, and the challenger, Alex," James announced officiously. "Each trainer is allowed to use three Pokémon. Both sides may make substitutions at any time during the battle. The match will be over when all three of one trainer's Pokémon are knocked out. Let the battle begin!"

"Geodude, I choose you!" Forrest roared, sending out the small and manoeuvrable rock-type. Alex blinked and looked on in surprise; he had only just sent the Pokémon out, but it was already perfectly camouflaged within the incredibly rocky terrain that made up the battlefield. Swallowing, she forced her nerves to the side and sent out the one she knew would be a perfect counter to the Geodude.

"Squirtle, I choose you!" she shouted, bringing the water-type out. "We're looking for a Geodude, Squirtle, so let's try hard to find it. Run into the rocks and search it out."

"Too easy," Forrest grinned. "Geodude, use Rock Smash!" As Squirtle ran through the boulders, Geodude materialized from the shadows. With a grin, it punched at a rock, sending sharp shards hurtling towards the tiny turtle Pokémon.

"Withdraw!" Alex screamed and the attack glanced away harmlessly. But by the time Squirtle had cautiously poked its head out of its shell again, the Geodude had once again hidden itself among the boulders. _This is no good, _Alex realized. _I can't keep doing this; sooner or later an attack will hit and then it'll be bye-bye Squirtle. I need to find it and take it out _now,_ while I still can. But how do you find a rock-type in a boulder field? Think Alex, think; what do rock-types hate most of all?_

And it came to her in one glorious flash of inspiration.

"Squirtle!" she shouted. "Use Water Gun and aim it at the ceiling!" Squirtle blinked, confused by her command. Briefly it considered ignoring such a pointless order, but then decided that Alex needed at least one Pokémon she could count on to obey her. It shot the stream of water in the air, and as it struggled to keep the flow straight and steady the water at the top began to sprinkle off and arc back to earth, splashing gently on the rocks.

Squirtle caught on to Alex's ruse instantly and began to revolve its neck in little circles, spreading the water around. Soon the entire battlefield was being soaked by a fine mist. The bare rock soon grew slippery and damp and, being an inanimate non-living object, had no further reaction other than to clump loose bits of dirt into patches of mud. One rock was not quite as comfortable under all of this moisture, however; made obvious enough by the panicked dash it made from one end of the field to the other, trying to find a dry patch of earth.

"Geodude, calm down!" Forrest shouted, knowing that it was already too late.

"Gotcha!" Alex said triumphantly. "Squirtle, we've got our target! Now use Water Gun!" Squirtle halted the skywards stream, took a brief moment to regain breath, and sighted the helpless Geodude. A powerful and well-aimed jet of water shot forth and slammed into the rock-type, carrying it for several feet before slamming it into a rock. When the dust and mist cleared, it was clear that Forrest's first Pokémon wasn't able to continue.

"Geodude is unable to battle," James ruled. "This victory goes to Alex!"

"I don't believe it," Kluke gasped. "She took it out in just one hit?"

"Forrest only caught this Geodude recently; he wanted to see how well Alex can connect with her Pokémon by pitting one inexperienced capture against another," Daw replied. "And you have to remember, Geodude is quadrupally weak to water attacks. Even that light sprinkle from before would have hurt it because of how sensitive its skin is to moisture. I don't think it's any surprise that Alex won this round."

Forrest withdrew his beaten Pokémon silently and then looked at his niece; she was surprised to see a smile form on his face.

"Well done, Alex," he called over to her. "It seems like you've inherited your Dad's battling style, and you acted exactly like I expected you to. But you won't find this next Pokémon quite so easy to beat! Crobat, go!"

"A Crobat, huh?" Alex murmured, clicking open her Pokédex.

"Crobat, the Bat Pokémon," the Dex whirred. "Crobat's four wings allow it to fly extremely fast. It can fly all day without resting." She took her eyes away from the device and opened her mouth in surprise. Forrest's Crobat was moving so quickly that she could barely keep her eyes on it, and its four wings let it make seemingly impossible angle changes at incredibly high speeds.

"Squirtle, return!" she shouted, realizing that the water-type was having even more difficulty following it than she was. "I need something with quick eyes that won't miss a single detail," she whispered, "and I need to save you for later. Thanks for a great first battle. Luckily I have just the right Pokémon to keep track of Crobat's speed! Rattata, let's go!"

"Raaa!"

"That's a good choice," Dawn mused. "In a rock-type Gym she won't have another good opportunity to use a normal-type like Rattata, and its eyesight is far better than Squirtle's. But it doesn't look very strong; I think she may have trouble matching Crobat's raw strength."

"Crobat, use Wing Attack! " Forrest shouted suddenly, and the Pokémon dived to earth with all four wings glowing brightly.

"Rattata, dodge it!" Alex screamed, and her Pokémon barely managed to scramble out of the way in time.

"Your Pokémon may be able to follow Crobat's movements better than your Squirtle, but it still can't match its speed!" Forrest grinned. "Crobat, use a dual Wing Attack and Cross Poison!" Alex gasped; she had heard of the fabled dual attack; it was a technique both her mother and father had been known to use in battle. Instead of launching just one attack, the Pokémon would launch two at the same time. If it was pulled off right, then it was a devastating combination. One look at Crobat flying back towards Rattata from behind was enough to assure her that this dual attack was being pulled off perfectly. The upper right and lower left wings glowed white with the Wing Attack, while the lower right and upper left wings turned purple with Cross Poison. Rattata never had a chance.

"Rattata is unable to battle," James ruled. "This victory goes to Forrest!"

"That's disappointing," Yui sighed as Alex ran to her fallen Pokémon. "Rattata didn't even get in one hit. It was over so quick."

"Even though Crobat isn't a rock-type, Forrest likes to use it during his battles," Dawn said. "When people come to this Gym they expect to see a bunch of large, slow-moving Pokémon; easy targets they think. But because Crobat is so small and fast it takes them by surprise. They have to revise their strategy on the spot, and that makes it difficult for them to cope. Only the most talented trainers can cope with the unexpected transition from a slow Pokémon to a fast one."

"Weedle? Weedle wee?" Yui's Weedle asked anxiously.

"Vui," her Eevee added

"I think we will find out soon," Yui answered.

"Look, Forrest withdrew his Crobat!" Kluke said suddenly. "I wonder what Pokémon he's going to send out next." They did not have to wait very long. Even as Alex brought her Rattata back inside its Pokéball with a whispered apology there was a very loud crash; several of the rocks splintered into dust at the impact, and fear gripped her as she saw a large shape moving in the debris. Then the head reared above the commotion and she almost fell over in her shock.

There in front of her was the most nightmarish creature she had ever seen. On first glance the head looked like a skull, with two gleaming red eyes staring out from what should have been empty sockets. Several ferocious nubs of bone stuck out from its lower jaw, and it grinned maniacally at her.

"_Nei_!" the Pokémon roared.

"Steelix," the Pokédex informed her, "the Iron Snake Pokémon. Its body is harder than diamonds. When two Steelix fight belowground it causes earthquakes on the surface."

"Oh no, this is bad," Alex breathed, retreating from the battlefield. "But if it's here in this Gym then it must be weak to water, right? Umm... Squirtle, let's go!" she shouted. Her proud water-type appeared for the second time that day, looking ahead confidently. It caught sight of Steelix's tail through the fading dust and slowly followed the long contours of its body as it wound around the battlefield, craning its neck until it caught sight of the steel-type's head. It almost keeled over right then.

"Squirtle, don't let the size scare you!" Alex shouted. "You can't possibly miss something that big! Use Water Gun!"

"DragonBreath!" Forrest countered. Squirtle's attack met a powerful whitish-green beam in midair. The DragonBreath powered through the Water Gun easily, and Squirtle only just leapt aside in time. "Now Iron Tail!" Forrest yelled, and Steelix swept its long and dangerous tail forwards.

"Dodge and Water Gun!" Alex yelled. Squirtle ducked underneath the swinging tail and rolled for cover between two large rocks before shooting a jet of water at the massive Steelix. The Pokémon grimaced slightly with distaste, but otherwise showed no sign that it had been affected by the attack. "It... didn't work?" she gasped.

"Steelix may be part-ground, Alex, but its skin is so thick that a water attack like that will have almost no effect against it! You'll have to do better than that," Forrest grinned. "Now, Steelix; use Iron Tail again!" Squirtle twisted around and realized that, hemmed in by the rocks, there was nowhere left for it go.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!' Alex yelled, and it ducked for cover inside of its shell. But against the hardest known substance that comprised the Steelix's body, it was no defence at all. The Iron Tail smashed downwards, levelling both rocks and driving Squirtle deep into the ground as it created a crater in the battlefield. When the dust cleared, Squirtle lay sprawled out and senseless.

"Squirtle is unable to battle," James declared. "This victory goes to Forrest!"

"She doesn't have a hope now," Kluke commented ruefully. "Steelix and Crobat are just too strong for her, and neither one of them has taken any damage."

"What Pokémon does she have left?" Dawn asked Yui.

"Well... she's got a Porygon, but that's always disobeying her," she answered.

"A Porygon is no good, it's a normal-type; it wouldn't stand a chance against Steelix even if it did obey her," Kluke observed.

"Most new trainers don't have more than three or four Pokémon by the time they reach their first Gym," Dawn said. "Is there anything else she can use, Yui?"

"Well... there is one," she began, "but she's never used it before."

"What Pokémon is it?" Kluke asked.

"It's..."

"Primeape, let's go!" Alex yelled, and the fighting-type materialized in a burst of scarlet energy. It immediately spotted the steel-type but, unlike Squirtle who had almost fainted at the sight of it, Primeape seemed to relish the opportunity of testing its strength against such a formidable foe.

"That's a good match-up against Steelix," Kluke said, suddenly sounding hushed. "Fighting-types are really strong against steel-types."

"Look at its eyes and the stance of its body," Dawn pointed out. "I don't think I've ever seen a stronger looking Primeape than that; I'm amazed she managed to capture something that powerful so early in her journey."

"Oh, she didn't capture it," Yui said conversationally. "It was her Dad's."

"_What?_" Dawn shouted, spinning around so fast that she fell out of her seat. "You mean that's..."

"Primeape! Use, uh... use... hang on; what attacks _do_ you know?" she asked with a frown, reaching for her Pokédex again. Yui and Kluke joined Dawn on the floor at that comment, and James nearly followed them. Forrest manage to restrain himself to a sigh of disbelief.

"It might be a good idea in the future to know what your Pokémon's attacks are before you send them into battle, Alex," he reprimanded.

"Sorry," she said, blushing slightly in her embarrassment. "Okay, I've got it!"

"About time," Forrest grumbled. "Steelix, use Iron Tail!"

"Primeape, dodge that and use Focus Energy!" Alex countered. Primeape easily dodged the attack, moving rapidly through the boulders as its fur began to turn red and steam rose from its coat.

"What does that attack do?" Yu asked as Primeape's thick fur began to fade back to its usual cream.

"Focus Energy is a technique that makes the Pokémon using it stronger," Kluke responded. "It means that Primeape, already a really fast and powerful fighter, is going to get even quicker and punch even stronger."

"And Forrest knows it," Dawn added, pointing out the look of concentration on her husband's face. Up until this point he had been playing with Alex, but now the fight was getting serious. For the first time that day he felt like there was a chance he might lose.

"Try a DragonBreath!" Forrest ordered, and Steelix shot the powerful attack at Primeape.

"Dodge and use Brock Break! I mean Brick Break!" Alex countered, her face growing red again at her error; but despite that she began to feel more confident as she realized that she finally had the upper hand in the battle.

"It really was a Brock Break when his Croagunk used it on him," Dawn whispered to Yui, and the girl dissolved into giggles. Kluke ignored them both, her eyes fixated on the battle. She watched as Primeape leapt high into the air, causing the DragonBreath to soar harmlessly below it. She watched as Primeape's right hand glowed white and slammed down hard into the top of Steelix's head; she could barely believe the power of the move. The force of the collision sent out a shockwave that ruffled her hair and drove Steelix to the ground.

"Steelix, quick! Use Dig!" Forrest yelled, and the massive steel-type used the momentum of its fall to burry itself deep in the ground.

"How could it keep battling after a hit like that?" Kluke gasped.

"That's what happens when two incredibly powerful Pokemon battle each other," Dawn answered. "No matter how devastating the hits they take are, they just keep on going."

"Wow," Kluke said, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Where is it going to come up?" Alex wondered. "Primeape, keep moving! Don't stay in one place too long!"

"That trick won't work on us!" Forrest grinned. "Now Steelix; come on out and use Iron Tail!"

"Haganeii!" Steelix roared, bursting out of the ground behind Primeape while the Pig Monkey was in the air; the surprised Pokemon twisted to face its foe but was unable to avoid the gleaming silver tail that swung towards it. The attack collided and Primeape was thrown into the ground, smashing through several boulders before coming to rest. To everyone's astonishment the Pokémon climbed to its feet again, though it looked a bit more tired than it had before.

"No way... it got back up again?" Yui gasped.

"Now this is a battle!" Kluke exclaimed, jumping up in her excitement. "None of this 'one hit and they're down' nonsense, just both Pokémon trading blows, fighting at the limit, refusing to give in no matter how tired they are! This is a real battle!"Alex grinned at the sound of her friend's enthusiasm.

"Well, it will be until the next move," she whispered, watching Forrest keenly as she waited for him to choose the next attack.

"Alright Steelix, let's wrap this up!" he roared. "Use Iron Head!"

"Dodge it and use Focus Punch!" Alex yelled.

Steelix's head was covered with a shining silver aura as it hurtled towards Primeape, who dodged underneath and slammed a thick glowing fist into the bottom of the steel-type's jaw. The silver aura vanished and Steelix gave a low moan before collapsing, Primeape leaping out of the way to avoid being crushed.

"Steelix is unable to battle! The victory goes to Primeape!"

"Well done, Primeape!" Alex yelled, knowing that she now had the upper hand on Forrest psychologically. "One more and we've won the badge!"

"Yes, but you forget what my last Pokémon is," Forrest grinned. "And let me tell you now; fighting-types are weak against flying! Crobat, go!"

"Uh-oh, this is bad," Kluke muttered. "Crobat is still fresh, but Primeape is tired out. She did a good job getting this far, but I don't think she's going to get it done."

"I think she can," Yui said stoutly. "That Primeape is really strong, and it had that Focus Energy boost. I think she can win."

"Primeape, charge in and use Karate Chop!" Alex yelled.

"Dodge and hit it with a Wing Attack!" Forrest countered. Primeape leapt at Crobat, ready to deliver a punishing blow to the side of the head, but the flying-type skilfully dodged the technique by flipping in mid-air using two wings and striking the Pig Monkey in the back with its own attack using the other two. Primeape stumbled from the impact and twisted, eager to land a revenge blow, but the Crobat had already soared high into the air.

_It's still too fast_, Alex realized. _We can't catch it. And it's too high in the air for us to hit. How are we supposed to get up there?_

"Now use Air Cutter!" Forrest shouted, and a flurry of air blasts shot downwards, smashing into the ground all around Primeape.

"Get out of there!" Alex yelled in desperation, and Primeape jumped backwards onto one of the large boulders on the field.

It struck her.

"Primeape, stay off the field and use the rocks to move about!" she ordered. Primeape nodded and leapt from one rock to another, each time barely avoiding razor-sharp streaks of air. Forrest gritted his teeth.

"Stay on it," he yelled. "Follow it from rock to rock!" A dangerous game of cat-and-mouse ensued, with Crobat in hot pursuit of Primeape. It was able to keep very close to the Pig Monkey due to its higher speed, but Primeape changed direction so frequently that each attack kept missing by a hairsbreadth. The Crobat flew on in growing frustration before it realized that Primeape had drawn too close to the edge of the battlefield, and that it was almost out of rock. The flying-type grinned, ready to deliver the final blow.

"Now, escape!" Alex yelled, and instead of jumping forward onto the last rock Primeape performed an elaborate back flip. Crobat twisted in surprise but too slowly; Primeape landed on Crobat's back, and its weight was too much for the wings to bear. The flying-type began to drift helplessly downwards, unable to keep itself in the air. The numerous Karate Chops to the side of the head didn't help either.

"Now, finish it off with a Seismic Toss!" Alex ordered, and Primeape jumped off of Crobat onto a rock, grabbing one of the Pokémon's wingtips as it did so. Scampering up to the top of the rock and dragging the helpless flying-type with it, Primeape leapt into the air and began swinging the Pokémon in fast circles. After several dizzying revolutions it threw the opponent down into the rocky ground below, sending up a cloud of dust at the force of the toss. Crobat lunged back out of the debris and onto a rock, glared at Primeape for a second, and then fell back down, completely spent.

"Crobat is unable to battle!" James called. 'The winner of this match and recipient of the Boulder Badge is Alex!" Alex stood in disbelief as Forrest recalled his Pokémon, hardly able to comprehend what had just happened.

"She won! She won!" Yui squealed, hugging Eevee and Weedle in delight. Dawn nodded her head, satisfied, and Kluke stared down into the near-demolished field with shining eyes.

"What a battle," she whispered. "That was the best fight I've ever seen!"

"Come on," Dawn called, beckoning Yui and Kluke to follow her as she made her way down to the field. "Let's go and congratulate her!"

"Well done, Alex," Forrest smiled. "That was a fantastic battle, and I hope I get the chance to battle you and Primeape again someday soon."

"Thank you, Uncle Forrest," Alex smiled, hugging her exhausted Primeape close, tears of joy falling on its face. "Battling like that with my Pokémon... that was the best feeling that I've ever had!"

"So it should be," Forrest nodded. "Here, the Boulder Badge is yours. Take it and remember what it signifies to you today. If you keep training hard, those other seven badges will be yours in no time."

"Thanks," she said, taking the small metallic pin in awe. No one object had ever meant as much to her as this badge did now.

"I knew you could do it," Dawn said, giving her niece a hug of congratulations. "And it was exactly the way your father would have won it too," she whispered in her ear. Alex nodded, fresh tears forming in her eyes at the compliment.

"So, where are you girls off to now?" Forrest asked as Yui and Kluke joined them and they all began to make their way outside.

"Well... Cerulean City, I guess," Alex answered. "I mean, we might as well try out that Contest, right?"

"Looks like this is goodbye for now, then," Kluke said. "I'm going back to Viridian Forest to train some more; I want to make sure I'm ready before my next Gym Battle!"

"Which I'm sure you'll do very well at!" Dawn laughed. They waved goodbye to Kluke as she headed down the road before returning to the cottage for a quick lunch. Alex was the last to enter, but before she did she turned to see where the final member of the group had gone. She spotted him easily, shears in one hand as he returned to his work in the gardens.

"Hey, James," she called as she walked over, making him jump slightly.

"Eh...Yes?" he asked, feeling slightly nervous for an unfathomable reason. She glared at him a moment, her hands on her hips, before she spoke.

"You did a good job refereeing today," she said, taking him completely by surprise. "Maybe Aunt Dawn and Uncle Forrest weren't wrong about you after all."

"Oh. Umm... thanks," he said, but she had already returned to the cottage, leaving him thoroughly confused.

"Girls," he sighed. "Will they ever make up their minds?"


	13. Yui the Hero

"Rattata, use Quick Attack!" Alex yelled.

"Voltorb, use SonicBoom!" her opponent countered.

"Dodge and use Bite!" Alex swiftly added. Rattata charged in to the Voltorb at high speed and then dodged as the Voltorb, spinning rapidly on its axis, unleashed a speedy shockwave that spread out in all directions. The attack passed harmlessly underneath the normal-type, which dropped in, mouth open wide, to deliver the blow.

Yui glanced away from the match, returning her attention to her playing Pokémon as she sat resting against the building's wall, contemplating the two days that had passed since leaving Pewter City. The route they had travelled was a busy one; many people had challenged them both, and Alex had accepted every single one. It was obvious she had taken Forrest's encouragement to train hard to heart. But at the same time, Yui was a bit worried that she was pushing her Pokémon too hard. At least now they were outside a Pokémon Centre, though of course Alex had been challenged again only feet from stepping inside the doors.

She grinned slightly as she watched Weedle chasing Eevee in circles, both Pokémon enjoying their fun while trying to avoid the crowds that moved in and out of the Centre. It was surprisingly busy; the busiest one she had seen yet. But as it was the only Centre between Pewter City and Cerulean City, and since it was situated very near to the entrance of Mount Moon, she supposed that it was only natural that so many people stopped here.

"Hey, girl," a voice suddenly whispered in her ear. Yui jerked in surprise, jumped to her feet and tried to move back at the same time, causing her to trip and fall to the ground. The man who had spoken leered at her, and she felt suddenly frightened. His greasy hair slicked back into two bunches and held in place by a dirty white ribbon, his unshaven face with its wide, eager eyes, and the way he had sneaked up on and grinned at her made her instinctively distrustful of the man.

"Wh-what do you want?" she stammered; noticing the fear in her voice, Eevee and Weedle broke off their game and sidled protectively up to her side. His leer widened.

"I have something to show you; look at this!" he said, proudly whisking a flapping golden fish from behind his back. It stared balefully at Yui as is struggled in his grasp. "This is the King of all carp; a Magikarp! And look at its rare gold colour; you will not find a fish like this in the wild, oh no!"

"And?" she asked warily.

"This is a very special Pokémon, but I cannot keep it," the man explained. "So I tell you what, I'll sell it to you! That sounds good, yeah? Look, I'll throw in an egg-care set, a child-care set, and a food-guide! All this for only $500!"

"How can you just sell a Pokémon like that?" Yui shouted, catching the man by surprise and gaining Alex's attention. "Don't you care about it? What has that Magikarp ever done to be treated that way?"

"Ehh... So you don't want it?" the man asked.

"Oh, I'd buy it from you if I could, if only so that I can save it," Yui glowered. "But I don't have any money, and you wouldn't learn your lesson from that if I did!" Instantly the man's gaze hardened.

"No money, no sale," he spat, stuffing the fish back up his shirt and hurrying off to find some other potential customers; almost immediately he ran into Alex.

"Hey, girl! You want a very special Pokémon, yes? Look, I'll sell you this-"

"Get stuffed," Alex said, brushing past him as she made her way quickly over to her friend. "Yui, what was that all about?" she asked, kneeling in concern at her friend's side. The girl was almost in tears. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, but I almost wish he did; I'm used to that," she said, trying to wipe the moisture from her eyes with her sleeve. "It's him hurting that Magikarp that I can't stand, Alex. He's selling the poor Pokémon!" Alex gazed after him in disgust as he approached yet another potential customer.

"Yeah, people like that really make me mad," she said, shaking her head. "Luckily most trainers are good-hearted like you, Yui. Don't worry about that Magikarp; someone with the money will take pity on it and buy it."

"But will they be friends with it and travel with it?" Yui asked. Alex didn't have an answer to that. Instead she helped Yui back up to her feet and motioned that they should probably go into the Pokémon Centre to heal their Pokémon. As usual, Yui's Eevee and Weedle had been kept so healthy through her care that they didn't even need to be checked in. Alex handed over all of her Pokémon; even Porygon, who had been called out three times that day and attacked her twice.

After leaving her Pokémon with Nurse Joy, Alex wandered off through the lobby, introducing herself to some of the other thirty-odd trainers and asking them about their Pokémon and prior matches. Yui stayed off to the side in a corner with her Pokémon, content to observe the hustle and bustle of the busy Centre through the hanging fronds of a large plant pot while not taking a direct part in any of its activities; big crowds still unnerved her. Most of the people she'd met so far had been really nice, but that sleazy Magikarp salesman...

She shuddered. It was people like that who instilled the fear of Marcus back inside of her, and made her afraid to even go outside. She was glad that Alex had been so close, and that she had come straight to her side when she saw the man bothering her. She recalled the way Alex had dismissed him so easily, and how he had stared after her, dumbstruck, before deciding to harass somebody else. She wished she had even half of that girl's easy-mannered confidence!

The shattering of glass at the far end of the Pokémon Centre quickly brought her out of her reverie. And then the screaming started. About twenty men and women in tight-fitting silver and black outfits with a bright yellow G emblazoned on the front burst in through the broken windows and the open front door, converging on the trainers en masse. Yui sat stunned as she watched the helpless trainers get taken down. Most didn't have their Pokémon on them since they were being healed. Those that did were knocked down before they could release any from their Pokéballs. Plucky and spirited as ever, Alex leapt at one of the women and tried to beat her back with her fists. A man stepped in as she was in mid-air and cracked her on the back of the head with a swift chop. She went down and didn't get up.

Yui opened her mouth to scream but Eevee flicked its tail into her mouth, preventing any noise from coming out. Gagging on the fur she pushed Eevee away and realized that both the normal-type and Weedle were frantically pushing her body, trying to get her off the couch and out of sight. Separate fro the trainer crowds she had not yet been seen, and so she quickly dropped off the cushions and scrambled on all fours after Eevee, wondering where the Pokémon could possibly lead her when the place was crawling with those bizarrely dressed people.

The crack of space between the couch and the wall proved to be the answer, and she backed in as thoroughly as she dared without getting stuck. The opening was so narrow that had she been even Alex's size she would never have fit in. For the first time she was glad of the starvation she had endured under Marcus, for her frame was much narrower than it rightfully should have been. It was incredibly dusty in that tiny crawlspace, so she did her best to breathe shallowly through her mouth and not sneeze. She jumped slightly as Eevee leapt onto her shoulder and Weedle crawled in after her, and the three huddled in fear as the final trainers were subdued.

There was silence for a few moments and then she heard a curt male voice order "Check the rooms; find Joy and get her tied down too. We don't need Officer Jenny getting a call about this." Yui's heart rate increased as she heard boots clomping heavily on the floor, moving in her direction. She barely managed to stifle a squeak as the couch sagged slightly from the weight of somebody sitting on it.

"Sir, we found only one person in the back. We've tied them up with the Nurse Joy. The area is now clear," a voice said, much too-close by for Yui's liking.

"Stop talking that way," the curt voice commanded drily, and she guessed that he was the one sitting on the couch. "I'm not Cyrus; I was picked to lead this mission only. Let's just get in and out as quickly as we can."

"So, eh, what do you want us to do?" a female asked softly.

"You, you, you, you, and you," the man said. "You all stay behind and watch these trainers; three outside, two inside. We tied them up so they wouldn't be a hindrance in our search. The rest of us will enter Mount Moon and search for the Moon Stone; even a fragment of it will do. When we find that, we get out of here."

"What do we do about the trainers?" another asked, sounding almost hesitant. "They won't be very pleased when we untie them afterwards."

"They'd better be good at wriggling out of knots then," the man said coldly. "We'll leave them as is. Somebody will find them tomorrow and untie them. By that time we will be gone." The couch creaked suddenly as he stood. "Alright everybody, get moving," he snarled. "Time's short; its sunset now, which leaves us twelve hours to do this." There was a sudden rustling as most of the people exited the Pokémon Centre en masse, eager to avoid incurring the wrath of their temporary leader. Yui lay frozen, her heart still pounding unmercifully from her fright. The comforting presence of Weedle and Eevee by her side was enough to begin calming her down, and she began pondering her situation.

There was no doubt that come morning those strange people would leave and she would be able to free everyone. But then she remembered the chop to the back of Alex's head, and the way she had collapsed. Her friend, the one who had saved her from Marcus, brought her along on this incredible journey, and made sure she was okay when she was upset, could be hurt. She had to help her. She knew she had to cause a distraction so she could slip unnoticed to the bound trainers, but how? The only thing she could think of was a straight charge, and that wouldn't work. She stifled a groan as she tried to shift her position slightly; it was incredibly uncomfortable squatting behind the couch in such an awkward posture.

Eevee pawed at her from the ground and she absentmindedly held out her hand, afraid that it would coo at her. Then she froze. How could Eevee be on the floor? Eevee was on her shoulder. Even as she turned her head to look at her shoulder, she saw the Pokémon shimmer, split into two, and then a second copy leapt soundlessly to the floor to join the first. Now there were three Eevee around her. She watched in surprise as a third, a fourth, and then a fifth copy joined them. Now there were six Eevee.

"I get it!" she whispered. "This must be Double Team!" All six Eevee nodded at her, and she realized that she might have a way out after all. "Okay," she whispered. "Eevee, we'll wait a few minutes until it gets a little bit darker. You can send out the copies without getting in danger yourself, right?

"Vui!" Eevee nodded.

"Phew. Okay, so distract those guards with your copies, but you stay by me. Hopefully they'll leave the Centre to chase after them. Weedle, since you're the smallest and closest to the edge, keep an eye out and watch what happens. If they do leave, let us know and we'll go free Alex and the others. Weedle, you can use that horn on your head to break the ropes, and Eevee, you can chew through them. Let's get Alex first, and then the other trainers. Okay?"

Weedle!" Weedle agreed, its eyes bright.

"Vui," Eevee said, rubbing up against her cheek. Yui closed her eyes, steadied her breath and counted slowly to two hundred. Then her eyes opened.

"Okay, go!" she whispered urgently. Eevee nodded and closed its eyes, and the six copies scrambled out from behind the couch and began to saunter around the room. For a short time there was nothing, and then...

"Hey, look! An Eevee!" a woman muttered.

"No, look, there are two of them! Wait, there are three! Hey, where did they all come from? Just look at them all!" a man responded excitedly.

"I dunno, but I really want one," the woman moaned. "I've always wanted a Vaporeon."

"Do you think we could try to capture them?" the man asked. 'I mean, they are really rare Pokémon."

"I don't see why not... These guys aren't going anywhere, are they?" the woman said slowly.

"Look, they're all moving towards the door! Let's go!"

"Eevee, come back!" the woman shrieked, and Alex heard two pairs of boots clomping along the wood before the door was thrown open and the shouts of the Grunts grew faint.

"Weedle!" Weedle hissed urgently, nodding its head. Yui scrambled out from behind the couch, the real Eevee still on her shoulder, and gave a small hiss of suppressed pain as she stood and stretched her sore and aching knees. She staggered for a few moments before her limbs remembered how to move properly and then she hurried on over to the trainers. Most of them had been awakened by the woman's shout, and she pressed a finger to her lips when several swivelled their heads and saw her. She searched through the mass of people, and then finally saw her.

Their eyes met. Admiration flowed from Alex's gaze as she silently jerked her head back to indicate the tight bonds that were cruelly binding her hands. Weedle scooted forwards to help her while Eevee jumped down and found the young trainer Alex had battled against earlier. Yui moved behind the closest person she saw and began fumbling with the knots as best she could. She heard one loud snap and then Alex jumped into the air, massaging her wrists ferociously as she tried to get the feeling back into them. Another snap and the young trainer was on his feet too. All four quickly moved on to other trainers.

"Weedle," Yui hissed, at a loss about how to untie a particularly difficult knot, "can you come and help me with this one?"

"Wee," Weedle nodded, scooting over to her as quickly as it could.

"Thank you," she smiled. There were several loud snaps and three more trainers jumped to the feet before hurrying off to the next closest people. Yui's heart soared; they were going to make it!

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" a voice shouted angrily. They all froze and looked to see a woman with a Growlithe standing by the door, a menacing look in her eyes.

"Alex, do something!" Yui shouted in panic.

"I don't have any of my Pokémon on me!" Alex yelled back.

"Well well; a few freed prisoners and none of them can stop me. This should be easy enough," the woman grinned before pointing at Yui. "Growlithe, use Flamethrower!"

Yui opened her mouth to scream as the fiery torrent of flames raced towards her. Weedle jerked its head, snapping the ropes, and leaped at the same time, head butting Yui in the back of her kneecap. Yui's knees collapsed underneath her and the jet of fire soared overheard, burning a hole in the wall as it passed through the building. The wood charred but luckily did not catch flame.

Weedle pushed itself in front of Yui and stood defensively in her path. The woman laughed at the sight of the weak little bug Pokémon daring to stand up to her and her Growlithe. The laugh quickly turned into a grimace of horror and her eyes widened as her open mouth was filled with a sticky white string that Weedle shot from the tip of its horn. The woman gagged, pulled helplessly at the material, and fell over. As the Growlithe twisted to look at its trainer, Weedle shot again, tying the fire-type's four limbs together. The Pokémon yelped in surprise and then its mouth was snapped shut by the sticky fibres that wrapped around it, preventing the flames from coming out and melting the ropes.

Alex and the other freed trainers charged towards the desk, desperate to get their Pokémon and make their own stand, while Eevee snapped at various ropes feverishly, her sharp little teeth severing them in one. The other four guards charged back in, all of them reaching for their Pokéballs. Weedle shot them all down with its String Shot, and they joined their helpless teammate on the floor.

And then a white glow lit up the room.

Yui gasped from her position on the floor as the brilliant light emanated from Weedle, and the Pokémon began to change form. The many segments of its body joined together and thickened to form just four; the small white stinger on top of its head lengthened and began to slide down so that it pointed downwards from its chin before splitting into two. The glow pulsed and vanished, forcing Yui to shield her eyes. When she was able to look again, Weedle had disappeared. In its place was a slightly larger and heavier yellow cocoon.

"We've got a fragment of the Moon Stone!" the curt voice yelled suddenly from outside. "Come on, let's get... out of... here... Oh." The last words were spoken as he burst into the Pokémon Centre and seeing his five guards tied up on the ground he trailed to a halt. He spotted Yui and snarled, reaching for the Pokéball at his belt.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," a confident voice warned. Yui turned and saw Alex standing at the head of thirty angry trainers, all of them with their Pokémon standing at their sides. The man considered his odds and then turned tail and ran. Several of the trainers, giving angry whoops, chased after him and the rest of the Grunts outside as they sprinted away from the Centre. Alex did not, choosing instead to recall her Pokémon and crouch down next to the stunned Yui's side.

"Congratulations, Yui," she said softly. "You found your courage and saved us all."

"Wh-what just happened," Yui stammered, looking at the strange Pokémon in front of her.

"You took such good care of Weedle that it evolved when you needed its help most," Alex said simply. "Say hello to Kakuna. Don't worry though," she added hastily, noticing the upset look on her face, "it's still the same Pokémon it was before; it just has a different body, and different abilities to go with it."

"Hey, girl," a voice interrupted, and Yui looked to see the Magikarp salesman standing behind her.

"What do you want now? I still don't have any money," she said, and a sheepish look spread across his unshaven face.

"Yes, I know that. But you were clever, you stayed behind and freed me, and then you chased off all the bad people. So I tell you what; new price for the Magikarp! For you, one-time only deal, I charge $0! Good, eh?"

"You mean I get it for free?" Yui asked hesitantly.

"No, no!" the man said, shaking his head for emphasis. "I don't give away merchandise; bad for business, you see? You just give me $0 bill and I give you Magikarp!" Not quite knowing what to do, Yui reached into her back pocket and drew out a handful of invisible money. She pretended to peel one bill off and gave it to the man, who took it with an enormous wink. "Here, for you special golden Magikarp!" he said, bringing the gasping and wriggling fish back from under his shirt and giving it to her. He walked away, hands stuck in his pockets and whistling merrily.

"What an odd man," Alex said, staring after him. Yui quickly recalled her Kakuna, jumped to her feet, and ran over to the desk where a somewhat groggy Nurse Joy was handing back the Pokémon that the trainers had not yet collected.

"Nurse Joy, can I have a bucket of water for my Magikarp?" she shouted. Nurse Joy nodded and beckoned to a Chansey who ran into the back and returned seconds later with a large bucket of the cool liquid. Yui gently placed the Pokémon inside, and it swam in circles gratefully. She watched it swim happily, and then her brow furrowed as she realized that the Magikarp was slowly changing colour. Patches of red were showing beneath the gold as some substance began to dissolve in the water and float to the bottom. In minutes a normal red Magikarp was swimming around in the bucket while gold paint chips littered the bottom.

"Why would he paint the Pokémon?" she asked Alex in confusion. Alex shrugged.

"Like I said before; strange man," she answered.

* * *

**Well, that's all from me for now. If I have any readers left, I hope that you enjoyed that little spurt of updating. I'll see you again!**


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